ISOLATION WARDS.

Wairarapa Age, 16 March 1922, Page 2

ISOLATION WARDS.

PAHIATUA’S GRIEVANCE. The Paihiatua Borough Council on Monday resolved unanimously “That this Council views with grave concern the proposal ol the Wainairapa Hospital Board to close the isolation ward of the Pahiatua Hospital and protests against such proposal being carried out. The Council points out the following tact' for the consideration of the Hospital Board : — 1. That the isolation building was erected by the Board at the request of the Public Health Department about 20 year' ago. 2. That the distance from Pahiatua to Masterton is over 45 miles by road and Pahiatua also serves a district as far out _as Pongaroa—4o miles distant. 3. That it is unreasonable to expect patients (mostly fever cases) or their parents to consent to their conveyance, particularly in winter time, by motor ambulance to Masterton. 4. That the Council has it on t(he authority of the Medical Superintendent that patients would not be moved to Masterton on account of the distance, but that parents would rather keep their children in their homes and take the risk. | 5. That prompt and effective isolation is a necessity in case® of infectious disease, and the closing of the institution would create the danger of an epidemic in the community. 6. That the cost or conveyance by motor ambulance, if borne by the Hospital Board, ■ would far outweigh any saving made by closing the isolation building, and if borne by the patient, would be an unjust charge.” The Mayor, who w-ith Cr. Dawson is a member of the Board, characterised the proposal as a gross injustice. Cr. Dawson: Absolutely. The Mayor said economy was the reason given. Great hardship would be imposed on sufferers or their relatives in the expense of conveying patients to. Master ton, it being proposed to charge Is 3d per mile each way. Cr. Dawson eaid the ultimate object appeared to be to get all hospital patients from this end centralised in Master-ton. Cr. Tulloch said the Board were evidently not considering the saving of lives, but merely the saving ot expense. The Mayor said that one of the County representatives on the Board (Cr. Bolton) had voted for the isolation ward being kept open, but the cither representative (Or. Hodgins) had voted for it being closed.