Along with a number of other worsening sectors in New Zealand, the public health system has become increasingly degraded under a National led government. The statistics clearly show a complete failure to meet growing demand for services, especially in peak winter conditions.But it’s not just an underfunded health system that's causing harm. The housing crisis has worsened, whereby cold, damp and unhealthy houses are the norm for generation rent. This is causing a huge upswing in preventable diseases. National has also ensured that the cost of living has increased dramatically in proportion to poor people's incomes... again causing dire effects.
Today, the NZ Herald reported:
Number of New Zealand children hospitalised with malnutrition doubles as food costs bite
Malnutrition is putting twice as many kids in hospital compared with 10 years ago, as food prices continue to bite into household incomes.
Child hospitalisation data shows around 120 children a year now have overnight stays due to nutritional deficiencies and anaemia, compared to an average 60 a decade ago.
Doctors say poor nutrition is also a factor in a significant proportion of the rest of the 40,000 annual child hospitalisations linked to poverty - and that vitamin deficiencies are more common in New Zealand compared to similar countries.
There's no denying that National has systematically underfunded the public health system.
Stephen Hoffman waited 10 months for 'urgent' prostate cancer surgery. It spread, & now he has just 5 years to live. https://t.co/32jCb7Gq6U pic.twitter.com/Dp0T4z5n3z— Checkpoint (@CheckpointRNZ) September 18, 2017
They've also caused poor people to not have enough money to feed their kids.
Is this what fairness looks like? Food cost as a proportion of income in NZ - the imbalance worsens https://t.co/Yywdq9NxuO pic.twitter.com/brHDpWrYme— Jess Berentson-Shaw (@DrJessBerentson) September 18, 2017
