FREE AMBULANCE TRANSPORT WANTED

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18947, 18 December 1929, Page 9

FREE AMBULANCE TRANSPORT WANTED

INFECTIOUS DISEASE CASES CONSIDERED

A proposal that free transport should be provided for cases of infectious disease was discussed by the North Canterbury Hospital Board to-day. It was decided, on the motion of Mr A. T. Smith, that the matter be referred to the finance committee for consideration and a report. The subject arose through a letter from the United Burgesses’ Association in which was conveyed a resolution stating that all cases of infectious disease should be conveyed to the hospital free of charge and that the cost should be borne by the health authorities.

The matter had been brought before the board previously by Mr Cmith and a request was made to the secretary of National Health in Canada for information on the system adopted there. A reply to this was before the board to-day. It was stated that the care of patients suffering from communicable diseases in Canada was the concern of the municipality. The provision for the conveyance of such patients was the duty of the municipality, which also had to provide the hospital. Dr T. F. Telford, Medical Officer of Health a.t Christchurch, also wrote in connection with the matter, stating that the head office of the Health Department stated that conditions in Canada were different frcm those in the Dominion. Ambulance transport was given free to the London fever hospitals. The department was not likely to support a project to divert the cost of treatment of infectious diseases to the Consolidated Fund, and it was quite another question whether the department and board equally should shoulder the burden of cost by reducing the expense incurred by individuals receiving treatment for infectious disease