Nurses launch smokefree funding petition at Indigenous Nurses Conference

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation will tomorrow launch a petition with Together to get full funding for smoking cessation and advocacy services.

NZNO kaiwhakahaere, Kerri Nuku says, “Nurses, midwives, caregivers and kaimahi hauora want a Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025. Every day we see the effects of smoking on our patients’ physical and mental health, and the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of their whanau. It’s heartbreaking.”

“It doesn’t make any sense that on the one hand the Government supports the goal of Smokefree Aotearoa 2025, but on the other is pulling funding out of Smokefree advocacy services including the Smokefree Coalition, ASH and Smokefree Nurses. Many Māori and iwi providers who are helping their own people quit smoking have also had their funding slashed.”

“Our petition calls on the Ministers of Health and Finance to do the right thing and make their aim of Smokefree by 2025. What New Zealand needs are smoking cessation and advocacy services for all New Zealanders, especially services by Māori and Pasifika organisations to support their own local communities. This seems like a no-brainer to health professionals.”

“The Minister of Finance could easily do this by earmarking the increased tobacco tax to pay for these services. We need to support quitting smokers every way we can, and that includes funding holistic, culturally appropriate, community-based quitting services.”

Supporters of a Smokefree Aotearoa can sign the petition here: http://www.together.org.nz/smokefree

The Indigenous Nurses Conference is being held Friday the 5th and Saturday the 6th of August 2016, at the Holiday Inn in Tāmaki Makaurau

Together is the digital campaigning arm of the New Zealand union movement: http://www.together.org.nz/

ends

© Scoop Media