Maryan
STREET
Health Spokesperson
14 November 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
Government Needs To Work With, Not Against, Diabetics
Diabetics deserve a break, says Labour’s Health spokesperson, Maryan Street.
Speaking to the second international diabetes forum for World Diabetes Day in Dunedin today, Maryan Street urged the
Government to work with, not against diabetics.
"Under National, successful diabetes prevention programmes including Healthy Eating, Health Action (HEHA), Nutrition
guidelines for school tuck shops, and the Get Checked programme have been scrapped and diabetics themselves have had
their opinions about their treatment ignored by the Government.
“This term, National has made life difficult for diabetics by changing the subsidised blood glucose meters - which both
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics use daily – despite overwhelming opposition.
“Diabetics, whose lives often revolve around these devices, were only consulted in five public meetings held by Pharmac
as pro forma exercises.
“The Government approved Pharmac's shift to a sole supplier of the meters, which initially offered an inferior product
to the one already used by 80% of New Zealand diabetics.
“This is a dangerous and untested move. Medical devices are unlike pharmaceuticals in that they are not subject to the
same rigorous trials before approval. Contacting a sole supplier also provides disincentives to improve the supplier's
product, as existed under the previous system.
"New Zealand is facing a current and future crisis of epidemic proportions in diabetes.
“Parents of children with diabetes have expressed their deep anxiety about their children's wellbeing to me. New blood
glucose meters, new smaller test strips, less support from local Diabetes offices - which have had to close in parts of
the country - and fewer community-based physical activity and health eating programmes, are among their concerns.
"On World Diabetes Day, I want to pay a tribute to all those diabetics and parents of diabetics who live with this
life-threatening illness on a daily basis. I also take my hat off to the experts in this area who struggle on despite
the Government's woeful neglect of this most serious of epidemics,” Maryan Street said.
ENDS