Northern group vaccinated against swine flu

Public Health has achieved virtually total coverage of the Northern Group in vaccinations for Swine Flu.
Dr Rangi Fariu, Director for Community Health and his team returned from the Northern group on Tuesday morning. The patrol boat Te Kukupa had been chartered for the trip which began on 6 August.
Dr Fariu told the Herald on Tuesday afternoon it was the cheapest way to deploy the vaccine. Only one person was not vaccinated as that person was allergic to eggs and penicillin.
In the team of seven aboard the patrol boat was Dr Fariu, 2 nurses, a Public Health nurse, an IT person, a Health Education Officer and also a Telecom serviceman.
Dr Fariu said the Public health nurse carried out filarisis checks in Pukapuka and Nassau as part of a ten year follow up by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Nassau has been cleared but Pukapuka still has some positive cases and the aim is to reduce these to zero.
The IT person recorded names of people treated. The Health Education Officer carried out a survey for WHO on the health behaviours of senior students in relation to alcohol and drugs. It is a nation- wide survey.
The Telecom serviceman carried out repairs in Pukapuka.
Dr Fariu said he conducted some consultations on Palmerston, Pukapuka, Nassau, Rakahanga and Suwarrow which are the islands that have no Doctor.
Nassau which has a nurse, has had no visit by a Doctor for about two years. Dr Fariu said on Nassau he was puzzled to find young boys with high blood pressure although their diet and fitness were good.
He found a number of people on Nassau with eye problems and one person had gone blind.
On Pukapuka he said there was a high incidence of diabetes and high blood pressure. He said people who had failed to take their medication or failed to replenish their medication after running out.
On Pukapuka, Dr Fariu performed 11 circumcisions and turned down a further nine as he ran out of time.
He spoke highly of the crew of the patrol boat whom he said were very helpful.
Dr Fariu said on Suwarrow the two caretakers were vaccinated but not the 10 tourists who were there at the time.

By Charles Pitt

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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