H—3l

In the case of the Department's staff there has been a minor expansion only, as it was considered advisable, while there was such a shortage of nurses, to delay expansion of services. The district staffs, particularly the Nurse Inspectors, have worked under great disadvantages in many instances owing to scarcity of Medical Officers of Health, and it has meant a great deal of thought and effort to maintain and carry on the work, particularly in rural areas. The expanding diphtheria immunization campaign, the expansion of the school health service, and the increased emphasis on Maori infant welfare and tuberculosis control all required well-prepared nurses to carry out their programme. The better results are an encouragement to further effort. The following table shows a year's work for 18 Nurse Inspectors and 174 District Health Nurses (of whom 19 have been on leave for special courses) : School work— Mapri. European. Hours spent in school work .. .. .. 5,767 35,132 Number of schools visited with S.M.O. .. .. 57 2,113 Number of schools visited alone .. .. 3,785 13,169 Number of visits to homes of school-children .. 29,442 23,432 Number of visits to homes of pre-school children .. 30,970 8,749 Tuberculosis control— Number of visits to homes .. .. .. 17,361 17,581 Number of cases seen at home .. .. 12,332 9,444 Number of contacts seen— Adult .. .. .. .. .. 16,491 12,801 Children.. .. .. .. .. 25,991 9,825 Maternal and infant welfare— Ante-natal cases seen .. .. .. .. 9,803 1,971 Confinements attended .. .. .. 165 42 Number of visits during puerperium .. .. 1,950 202 Infants seen at home or clinic.. .. .. 40,917 8,191 Attendances and treatments — Number attended at cottage or office ... 19,608 15,955 Number in own home .. .. .. 48,721 20,179 Total number of homes visited for any purpose .. 133,063 65,560 Number of inoculations .. .. .. 18,858 28,121 Social-welfare cases .. .. .. .. 2,398 715 Pas or settlements visited .. .. .. 19,492 3,933 Lectures given— To school children .. .. .. ~ 2,089 6,206 To other groups .. .. .. .. 520 351 Complete immunizations (six-monthly period, April to September, 1946) : Diphtheria .. .. .. .. .. 24,235 Whooping-cough .. .. .. .. 789 Typhoid .. .. .. .. .. 6,363

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