PM Transcripts

P. M. No. 2/ 1961
CONTRIBUTION-TO WORLD-HEALTH ORGANISATION
Statement by the Prime Minister and Minister for External
Affairs, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Menzies
In 1955 the 4orld Health Organisation launched a
world-wide campaign to eliminate malaria, a disease which
threatens a third of the world's people. The campaign is
being financed in large part by voluntary subscription to a
Special Account for Malaria Eradication. In response to an
urgent request from the Director-General of the World Health
Organisation, the Australian Government has this year
contributed œ C20,000 to the Fund.
This year's contribution is larger than previous
contributions, and is a token of Australiats support for the
campaign and of the Government's appreciation of its
objectives. The Australian mainland is virtually free from
malaria, but in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea the
eradication of malaria rjmains a major problem. In that
Territory Australia has undertaken a fourteen year eradication
programme, estimated to cost ovter two and three quarter million
pounds. The success of that programme, on which last year
the Administration of the Territory spent over f-200,000, will
be of benefit not only to the Territory, but to the world-wide
campaign which the World Health Organization is directing.
CANBERRA, 7th February, 1961.