The Alaska Native Service of the Bureau of Indian Affairs has completed arrangements for hospitalizing 290 Alaska native tuberculosis patients under contract in the Laurel Beach, Riverton and Firlands State Sanatoria at Seattle, Wash., Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay announced today.
Movement of the patients from Anchorage, the Territorial collecting point, by plane to Seattle will begin shortly and will involve about 75 patients during the remainder of the month.
The same number will be moved in November and December and the final group of 65 in January 1955.
The first 150 patients to be moved will be placed in the Laurel Beach and Riverton Sanatoria and the balance at Firlands.
Hospitalization of the Alaska natives in the Washington State Sanatoria will be in addition to the medical care provided by the Alaska Native Service in its own hospitals of the Territory which will continue to be maintained at the present level of capacity. Any patients who are moved from the ANS hospitals to Seattle will be replaced by other tuberculous natives needing hospitalization.
The program was made possible by a supplemental appropriation and is aimed at alleviating the widespread and serious tuberculosis problem among the Alaska natives.
