MEDICAL SCHEME IN PANAMA

Southland Times, Issue 23835, 5 June 1939, Page 3

MEDICAL SCHEME IN PANAMA

SOCIALIZED FORM SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE TO NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT QUOTED (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, June 2. The success of the scheme of socialized medicine in the Panama Canal zone was mentioned by Dr J. Garfield Stewart, of Takapuna, who returned by the Awatea from a visit to North America. He said that all knew that the mechanical and engineering feats involved in the canal zone constituted one of the wonders of the world, but the immense project would be useless if the health of the people in the zone was not maintained at a high standard. Spending a week in the Panama zone, Dr Stewart was granted every facility by the authorities in examining the scope and methods of the health scheme. He said that from one’s observations of the system one became convinced that the New Zealand Government had the means to put New Zealand on the map, providing the changes were introduced gradually and' with caution. “On the other hand, if revolutionary changes are made and if the authorities are not guided by those who have made a life-long study of medicine, such a scheme must certainly be wrecked,” Dr Stewart continued. If, however, socialized medicine is considered properly the New Zealand Labour Government has. an opportunity of doing the greatest thing it has ever done.” _ While in the United States, Dr Stewart also obtained an insight into the voluntary hospital and medical insurance scheme •in operation m the state of New York. Operating on a purely voluntary basis, it was expanding rapidly, he said, and it had certainly proved of immense benefit to patients and practitioners alike. At the present time there was often an unfortunate lag between the discovery of new and effective forms of treatment and their application to the relief of patients, but schemes such as that introduced in New York had the effect of reducing the delay. Ten of the leading hospitals in tne United States and Canada were visited bv Dr Stewart, who was accompanied on. the tour by Mrs Stewart and their two sons. He returned to New Zealand via Australia.