Wellington Capital and Coast DHB candidate, Letitia Isa, is challenging the DHB to come clean over the lack of working isolation rooms at Wellington’s Children’s Hospital.

“A serious disease like measles is no respecter of deferred maintenance and spin,” Ms Isa said.

“I know Wellington Children’s Hospital, as late as March, had few working isolation rooms. This is despite the DHB claiming the opposite in an Official Information Act answer I have been given.

“My son was in a cancer isolation room in Ward 2 following chemotherapy complications. With little immunity it was thought that he’d caught a disease but couldn’t move to the Ward 1 Isolation Unit because none of the rooms were working as they should.

“Any parent who has been in that isolation unit knows the rooms are sweat boxes. They are not what you’d expect from purpose-built and well-maintained isolation rooms.

“The reality is that DHB has slashed maintenance spending on the Children’s Hospital following Mark Dunajtschik’s amazing generosity to build them a new hospital.

“The DHB spent just $41,310.59 on maintenance in 2018/19 for the Children Hospital’s Ward 1, Ward 2 and Day Ward.

“It is a massive concern when you are told one thing but the DHB officially answers the opposite.

“Children like my son are immune compromised and need what’s known as herd immunity from other parents dong the responsible thing and ensuring their children are vaccinated. Irresponsible parents not only risk the health of their children but mine too.

“Yet it is equally irresponsible not to have the facilities to handle contagious diseases. That’s why I am standing. Call me old fashioned but I want a focus on front line health services instead of virtue signalling and spin” Ms Isa finished by saying.

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