Evening star., 1946-05-26
Health Survey Urges
Increased Interest in
Educational Program
By Harold B. Rogers

Declaring the need for real
community health education pro-
gram" in the National Capital area
was only partially met" the Metro
politan Health and Hospital Survey
last night presented an eight point
recommendation to strengthen such
a program.
In the District of Columbia, the
Bureau of Public Health Instruc-
ton was described as being under
"a trained and experienced director,
but without technical assistance"
He is DR.. Melvin P. Isaminger.
Objectives of the program he is
supposed to carry out-under IS
functions-were said to be sound
But, the survey added: Complete
attainment by one man in a city
of this size is too much to antici-
pate" The directors activities dur
ing the past year were outlined at
length.
Additional Staff Needed
Additional staff and equipment
wiz iiSSNCN ny WAC Ah CIVIL dSSOl VI
ing to the survey, as follows:
AN associate = director; a field
health education specialist to work
with community groups and develop
health center activities; school
health educa ton consultant to assist
in the development of the school
program, provide source material
and nopnt u,jth norarot chnr
groups; librarian to centraliZe the
health department materials and
provide periodical and reference
book service for the staff a drafts
man for preparation of charts, maps.
posters, exhibits and illustrations for
publications, an editor for publica-
tions, press releases and bulletins;
additional stenographic service and
more equipment and supplies, in
cluding an automobile, motion pic
ture and film strip projectors, films
and posters
The present per capita expendi-
ture for this service, now one cent,
would be increased by an additional
3l2 cents, the survey recommended,
making a total cost still minimum"
Other recommendations of the
survey:
District tuberculosis Associa ton
vacancies for health education per-
sonnel should be filled as soon as
possible.
Washington Social Hygiene So
ciety staff should be increased by at
, least one health educa ton consult
ant
The Social Hygiene Society, the
Washington Heart Association. the
Washington Society for the Hard of
Hearing, and the D. C. Society for
the Prevention of Blindness should
review possibilities of extending
their services to the Metropolitan
Area.
Better School Program Urged.
A more comprehensive school edu-
cation program should be developed.
Group work agencies should eX-
tend their activities in health edu-
cation in line with programs of ma
tional agencies, and in cooperation
with the health agencies of the Met
ropolitan Area.
Consideration should be given to
the development of neighborhood
health committees, as bridge be-
tween the health departments and
residents of the area, "over which
traffic in ideas and services may
flow"
The Health Education Committee
of the Metropolitan Health Council
should be strengthened by addition
of full-time health education con-
sultant ito assist the agencies in the
District and in the adjoining areas
and to facilitate joint planning and
cooperative action"
The next chapter of the survey,
made by three outside experts for
the Metropolitan Health Council Of
the Council of Social Agencies, will
be made public in about a week. 1t
will be comprehensive survey of
the hospital situation, which was
severely criticized in a summary OF
the report recently disclosed.