Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-12-24, Page 1ESTABLISHED DN 1873 "THE SEPOV TOWN" ON THE HURON -BRUCE BOUNDARY ':u°ns°n.•inAtin°Rr°•tin°�P.n..GW6Yee,. non ii,:;.1.n.v.. The Lucknow .Presbyterian Church choir performed a selection of Christmas music while the Lucknow school band wait to play their .next song during:- the •Lucknow Community Carol Fest at the Lucknow 'United church. nite. h. A total of seVen:choirs from area churches took part in the well -attended event. (Alan Rivett photo) • A new vaccine or the prevention of in- vasive diseases in children is to be made. available in this area beginning in January. In a co-operative .: undertaking the Wingham and district Hospital, will supply the vaccine which will be administered by the hospital's medical staff in their offices. The vaccine, licensed for use in Canada in March of 1986; is to be used for the prevention of invasive diseases in children caused by Haemophilus Influenza Type B (HIB), of which' meningitis is the most serious. t, At its November meeting, the board of . governors of the hospital agreed to supply the vaccine on the recommendation of its medical staff: At that 'time, however, it was uncertain as to how the HIB vaccine would be administered. The board left the question of administering the vaccine to be decided by the doctors. At the board's December meeting last week, Dr. Marie Gear; president of the medical staff and a board member, advis- ed the governors that the doctor would be administering the vaccine in their offices, beginning in January, 4 At present, she said, doctors are contac- ting candidates for the' vaccine through their own practices. Since the vaccine is only available in lots of 10 and has a "shelf - life" of just 48 . hours, as soon as 10 can- diates are available the vaccine will be ordered and a day set for it to be ad- ministered in the office. The HIB vaccine has been endorsed by the Ontario Chapter of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. The eollege also encourages the inimunization of all children aged two to five years. Although Dr. Nick Busing of Ottawa, the chapter president,. has made direct, r �presentatronto Health Minister Murrayston- requesting the vaccine be provided, ree of charge, there has been no move.in that direction from the government. In, a Contemporary Pidiatries Magazine article, . Dr. David. W. Scheifele of V'an pouver said it is estimated that one child in 200 will develop a serious HIB infection- by. age five and 50 per cent of these cases will be meningitis. . Dr. Scheifele is associate professor Of the pediatrics division of infectious diseases at . the' University of British Columbia. • • - Even with modern antibiotics and medical care, mortality from HIB infec- tions is three to five per cent, Dr. Scheifele says: Survivors of HIB meningitis have •a . 25 to 45 per cent risk of developing .neurological complications, including. ly vaccine deafness, paralysis, mental retardation, seizure disorders and learning disability. f Natural immunity to HIB .infections develops in children by the age of five' or six, thus the need to immunize "children who are .younger. However, since responses are minimal in children under 18 months, thea recommended age group for immunization is twoto five years. In.his article, Dr. Schiefele stresses that. the safety of. the HIB vaccine is well docu►aented. Although each doctor is notifying- pa- tients in his or her own practice, they en- courage parents of children within the two to five year age group to approach their family doctor on their own. . In addition, the hospital is preparing an ;advertisement toadvise the public of the vaccine's availabilitxand the procedure to arrange immunization. Hospital rep- reports ep reports to village council Jean Whitby, Laicknow's representative on the Wingham and District Hospital Board, reported that the Wingham hospital is in good financial shape this year She presented a review of her year's work to the Lucknow council meeting on December 9. "The hospital isin good shape, com- pared to some of them," said Mrs. Whitby. "I've really enjoyed being on the board this year." She said costs are being .controlled this year and the hospital .is, currently slightly above the breakeven position. "It wouldn't have been if 16 beds hadn't closed for three months," she said in her report. . The :Ontario, Ministry of Health's alott- ment ro the hospital is $5:9 million and the finance committee has projected that the expenses will be $7.1 million for 1986-87. She said almost. 75 per cent of the allot- ment goes towards wages. The current rates per day are $231 for the. ward, $30 :ex- tra for semi -private, $56 extra for private and $525 per day for someone outside of Canada; •� Mrs. Whitby said the new wing ..of the hospital is paid° for ands tyle . aye in this ward is an especially,busytime ffir the hospital. `"The number of cancer patients is stag-• gering and if .the hospital is allowed to do chemical treatment this will increase. Pa- tients are treated from an area half way to Owen. Sound and to Exeter in the other • direction, forming a circle of the area," she.said in the report. She reported the hospital is proud of its Hospital Nursing. Training Centre which has again stood first•in the province for. all • 'graduates writing. the RNA examination. Unfortunately, this year the Ministry of the. Environment has condemned the hospital's incinerator. However, she said the Minisrty .of °Health has set aside Turn to page 14. OPP RIDE program working • The ongoing OPP R.I.D.E, program is working. Since its inception on November 17, a total of -112,555 vehicles have been checked; 1,306 12 -hour suspensions have • been handed out; 637 persons have been charged, with alcohol-related offences and 829 charges under the Liquor Licence Act have been laid as a result of the spot checks across Ontario. Closer to home, 10,632 vehicles have been checked, 102 12 -hour suspensions were handed out; 49 persons have been Special edition In this week's Sentinel, the Christmas 'greeting edition is include& it features the greeting ads from area merchants and the work front the students in the two , local schools, • • Feature Also featured is a story of the Christmas traditions in Germany. The Ritgen family, originally from West Ger- mann were interviewed for this special. look at Christmas. SEE I''AGE 5 • charged with liquorrelated offences and 103 persons have been charged under the Liquor Licence Act as a result of -spot checks through the six counties et Bruce, Grey, .Huron, Perth, Waterloo and Wellington. To date, less than 2,600 of the expected 19,500 seat belt cutters have arrived • at area police detachments. If the officer does not offer you a� seat belt cutter' it is. sh ply because he does not have them, as there is a problem with the manufacturer. Merry Christmas s From everyone at the Sentinel, have a Merry Christmas and joyous New year: Concerts The pictures of the Brookside and the St.. Joseph's School Christmas concerts ap- pear in this week's paper.