Inspector-General's report / South Pacific Health Service.

  • South Pacific Health Service.
Date:
[1961]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Inspector-General's report / South Pacific Health Service. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/32 (page 8)
    (2) Post-Graduate Training 30. Public Health—As stated in an earlier report, a generous grant of £20,000 from the Nuffield Foundation made possible the establishment of a special department of Preventive and Social Medicine at the School. The building was completed in 1959 and was brought into immediate use for under-graduate teaching. In March, 1960, the first post-graduate course leading to a Certificate in Public Health was opened with eight students attending. The course covered a period of six months and all participants were successful in the final examination. As a historical record the names of those granted the first Certificate in Public Health at the Fiji School are given in full— David Dawea Fatiake Taukave Filipe Vulaono .. Mesulame Mataitoga Puta Tofiga Sale Ieremia Ualesi Toelupe .. Wilfred Moi B.S.I.P. Rotuma Fiji Fiji G. & E.I.C. Western Samoa Western Samoa Papua and New Guinea The second course opened in May, 1961, and this training will now be organized annually. 31. Other post-graduate courses were as follows:— (1) General refresher training during which the A.M.O. can attend ward rounds, bed-side teaching, lectures and dispensary instruction. (2) Specialized training in medicine, surgery or obstetrics during which the candidate is attached to one of the Specialists as supernumerary registrar for a period of not less than one year. (3) Refresher courses in some speciality for from three to six months for A.M.Os. who have had already some specialized training. (4) Courses of 3-12 months duration in subjects such as leprosy, tuberculosis, ophthal¬ mology and anaesthetics. (3) Training in Dentistry 32. The comprehensive training in conservative dentistry continued during the period under review. The course is now of three years’ duration although a further year can be spent in studying prosthetics if required. This time has been found to be quite sufficient to train a proficient Assistant Dental Officer if he is to be used for general conservative dentistry particularly in con¬ nexion with a school dental service. 33. The teaching staff consists of the Senior Dental Officer, who also administers the Fiji dental services, two Dental Officers, one concerned with the basic sciences and including bacteriology, pathology and histology and the other with conservative dentistry, a Dental Hygienist, and an Assistant Dental Officer. Students attend classes at the Medical School in pre-clinical subjects. During 1961, the staff was depleted by the absence of one Dental Officer, but it is hoped to rectify this in 1962. 34. The number of medical and dental students at the close of the academic years under review, is shown in Table II. (4) Training of Auxiliary Personnel 35. Other courses organized at the Fiji School of Medicine for auxiliary personnel— (1) Health Inspectors—Following discussions held in London between the Secretary of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health and the Inspector-General, recognition for the training course of Health Inspectors in Fiji has been granted by the Royal Society of Health. The first course started in February, 1961, and the entry qualifications are Cambridge Overseas School Certificate (Senior Cambridge) or its equivalent, or successful completion of the Assistant Health Inspectors’ course, followed by five years’ experience. The course covers a two-year period during half of which the students are engaged in practical field work. The course will be held every other year, alternating with the lower standard course for Assistant Health Inspectors. (2) Assistant Health Inspectors—This course of training was organized as in former years in 1960, but no such course was held in 1961 as the senior course took its place. The next Assistant Health Inspectors’ course will commence in 1962. The course is of two years’ duration being divided into twelve months academic training and twelve months training in the field. Successful candidates obtain a certificate as Assistant Health Inspectors. 36. With savings from the Nuffield Foundation grant for the establishment of a Department of Preventive and Social Medicine at the School, a building was erected to house the Department of Hygiene as a centre for the training of Health Inspectors and Assistant Health Inspectors. This building consists of lecture room, office for the Instructor, work room and small museum. It is a great improvement on the old wooden structure which was used formerly and has greatly facilitated teaching. (3) Laboratory Technicians—Training of technicians continues to be undertaken at the Central Laboratory, Suva, under the direction of the Pathologist, Medical Department, Fiji. The course covers a three year period and a centificate is granted to candidates successful in their final examinations. (4) Pharmacists—Courses for Assistant Pharmacists continue, these being under the general direction of the Senior Pharmacist, Fiji Government, and cover a three-year period.