WAIOURU CAMP

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 58, 31 January 1941, Page 4

WAIOURU CAMP

Preparations For- Dealing With Epidemics Situated though it is in one,of New Zealand’s healthiest localities, the Army medical authorities have, nevertheless, made all necessary preparations for dealing with an outbreak of influenza or other epidemic at the new Territorial camp at Waiouru. The camp contains a fully-equipped and staffed hun-dr.ed-bed hospital, but this will be used only for mild cases of sickness or other disability involving a short absence, from duty, or for emergency accident cases. In accordance with the arrangement entered into between the Army authorities and the Health Department for all military establishments in the Dominion, cases likely to be ill for more i than 48 hours are evacuated to civilian i hospitals. The comparatively isolated situation of Waiouru camp creates a' special problem in the evacuation of soldier patients. The nearest civilian public hospital is at Taihape, but ‘ the number of soldiers who could be accommodated there without interfering with the hospital services to civilians is less than 20. That would, of course, be quite inadequate if an influenza outbreak similar to that experienced occasionally in other large camps occurred. In those circumstances it would be necessary to send patients further afield to Wanganui and Palmerston hospitals. Special rail ambulances being constructed by the Railways Department and now nearing completion will soon be available at Waiouru. They will be virtually travelling hospitals. Till the new rail vehicles are available, the Railways Department has temporarily converted a first-class carriage for use as an ambulance.