NO ISOLATION WARD

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 69, Issue 6009, 18 October 1944, Page 4

NO ISOLATION WARD

HOSPITAL BOARD PROBLEM The danger of housing tuberculosis patients in ordinary wards was stressed in a letter received by the Taumarunui Hospital Board from the tuberculosis officer, Wanganui, which stated that when the officer last visited the hospital there were 22 such patients in the hospital, which had no isolation ward. The secretary “ reported that 110 beds were occupied in a 75-bed hospital and there were only 34 nurses There was serious overcrowding, with patients in passageways and any place where room could be made. The board had purchased Meredith House to accommodate 20 convalescents and 20 nurses, but the Health Department’s plans increased the estimated cost of the alterations to £5OOO. The board at a previous meeting proposed to borrow £lO,OOO to complete Meredith House, erect a tuberculosis ward and do other necessary works at the main hospital, but the three county councils in the district wrote strongly protesting against an increase of the levies and refusing to pay more than they are now paying. The borough council and the Manunui Town Board agreed to the proposal. After hearing local body protests, the board went back on the proposal and decided to reduce the plans for Meredith Houset and send a deputation to Wellington to see the Minister about finance.

The board resolved to notify the Department of the full requirements to bring the hospital up to date and to leave the arrangement of finance to the Department.