Media Release
16 June 2003
Government Policy Sunk By Poor Resourcing And Buck-Passing. Diabetes Unchecked.
New Zealand First has called for the Government to increase funding so that its promise of free annual checks for
diabetes can be honoured.
“Rather than take the regular ‘Annette King’ approach of blaming the Health Boards, the Government has to ensure that
there is sufficient funding to ensure that diabetes checks are made regularly,” New Zealand First’s leader Winston
Peters said.
“Four people die from the disease every day. Another 115,000 suffer from it and whilst it costs the country $180m every
year we have a Government too mean spirited to pay the $40 for each screening test!
“The reason for creating all these District Health Boards has become abundantly clear. They have become a screen behind
which the Minister of Health and her Government can hide under-funding, under-staffing, and under-performance of public
health. It is time for the Minister to accept responsibility and ensure that fundamental programmes like the diabetes
screening are fully funded and not at the whim of local decisions. The buck stops with her!” Mr Peters said.
ENDS