MAORI HEALTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22657, 19 February 1937, Page 10

MAORI HEALTH

SUBSIDISED POCTOES CHANGE IN SYSTEM PLANNED TRAINING NATIVE DENTISTS fnv TELEGRAPH —OWN COIUIESPONDENT] BOTORUA, Thursday Important changes in tho system of subsidised medical attention ior indigent Maoris, along tho lines of recommendations recently made at the inaugural conference of tho MaoriPakelia Federation, have been notified by the Minister of Health, the Hon. P. Frascr, in a communication to the secretary of the federation, Mr. 11. I. Dansey. It has been decided, states the Minister, that, where possible, the present system of subsidising medical practitioners in certain districts shall be cancelled, and that, instead, Maori patients shall be permitted to seek the advice of their own medical practitioners, providing that this will not entail additional expense by reason of having to summon a doctor from another district, or any great distance. For tho present it is not possible that the change can be introduced into every district, and therefore it is still considered necessary in some districts to retain the subsidised doctor. The Minister states also that tho Director-General of Health is of opinion that, the natives can be better served by tho district nurses, supported by doctors, but owing to tho scattered nature of Maori settlements, in some districts it is not always possible to | provide nurses. However, seven new appointments have recently been made to the nursing division of the department, and further requirements will be considered as they arise. Replying to a further recommendation, the Minister states that, in view of tho good work being done by two Maori dental officers attached to the department, he is prepared to consider granting bursaries entitling a limited number of suitable Maori students to study at the Otago University Dental School. The present system of accepting native girls for training in the dental service will be continued, but girls applying will require three or four years' secondary education to suit them for the highly technical study and training which they will have to undergo before becoming qualified dental nurses.