Barbara Stewart MP
Spokesperson for Health
8 August 2012

Economics Wins Out Over the Health of New Zealanders

The news that hundreds of thousands of diabetics will be forced to rely on cheap, untrusted and unknown testing meters from South Korea will have a dire effect on the elderly, warns New Zealand First.

Health spokesperson Barbara Stewart says the Government and Pharmac care more about money than they do about people.

“We've spoken with doctors, health professionals and diabetics and they all say that this is purely an economic exercise aimed at saving a few dollars rather than doing what is best for those New Zealanders suffering from diabetes."

Mrs Stewart warns the move is going to disproportionally effect the elderly as they generally struggle with changes in technology and may now forgo testing their blood-sugar levels, which may lead to further complications.

"We are also concerned that a lot of the people affected by this change don’t have ready access to the internet where these changes have been announced.

“We can’t afford to treat our vulnerable like lab rats by subjecting them to a brand that has no public confidence.

“If the Government was serious about tackling the serious issue of diabetes, it would help diabetics rather than make life more difficult for them,” says Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

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