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Leader's LetterMarch 2006
Making Health a PriorityA happy New Year to you all. Bird flu is on many people’s lips. Not the virus, but the topic. Everyone who watches television or reads the newspaper or listens to the radio will be aware that there is a spreading international epidemic of avian influenza. Unfortunately many people have the impression that this is a human epidemic – it is not. Not that a bird flu pandemic could not become a reality – a mutation in the virus could lead to a human epidemic. If that mutation were to continue with the high fatality rate, apparently 30-50% among people known to have contracted the infection, then the results would be disastrous. Fortunately at this stage, the chances of that occurring seem to be low. Medical researchers say that an epidemic is always on the cards – as are major volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. An influenza epidemic occurred in 1918 and there will almost certainly be another one some time in the future. Wise people always learn from the lessons of the past and the Ministry of Health must be commended for the preparations it currently has underway. I was interested to learn that new research on children’s television indicates that the majority of food advertisements are for unhealthy food. The research shows that New Zealand children watching television during children’s viewing times see an average of 12 food advertisements per hour. Approximately 70% of those ads are for food described as “counter to improved nutrition”. Only 5% of the ads were for foods that “favoured improved nutrition”. A third of New Zealand children are too heavy for their health and the advertising gives all of the wrong ideas about what can be eaten regularly. Overweight and obese children are at serious risk of many health problems, particularly as they get older. New Zealand First has targeted child health initiatives as a part of our Confidence and Supply agreement with Labour as we actively work towards the objective of having free primary health care for all under 6 year olds. This will assist with the early identification of those children who are at risk. As you are all aware, New Zealand First implemented such a policy when we were in Government in 1996; today, the amount of funding for this policy has diminished so much that it needs to be re-implemented. Healthy children are a priority – poor child health long term has an extremely high cost for everyone. The deteriorating standards of maternity care are also of real concern. It is obvious that changes are needed to ensure that mothers and new born babies have access to the best possible medical care while pregnant and when giving birth. New Zealand First supports negotiating the reintegration of GPs into maternity care in order to provide expectant mothers with choice and more comprehensive care. The Minister of Health has no shortage of advice or options on this issue – the only option not open to him is to do nothing. We will continue to follow progress on this issue with interest. Barbara Stewart MP
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