Maori Health in Hauraki-Waikato deserves greater priority says Greensill

Hauraki-Waikato candidate, Angeline Greensill, has today
congratulated Waikato District Health Board for being a
finalist in three sections in the national Health Innovation
Awards; and for receiving a commendation for its ‘double
balloon enteroscopy’ procedure.

“This new procedure has the benefit of both reducing the
need for surgery and cutting down the length of time
patients stay in hospital” said Mrs Greensill.

“The importance of hauora, of good health and wellbeing,
is critical to Maori in this electorate” said Mrs
Greensill.

The Waikato DHB Maori Health Strategic Plan reports trends
for Waikato Mâori showing hospitalisations increasing at
an approximate average rate of 244 discharges per year.

“Recent polling of the electorate revealed that 84% of the
500 Maori surveyed thought that access to affordable quality
health services was very important”.

“In addition, Hauraki-Waikato has a young population, high
unemployment, and higher rates of mortality than national
trends for diabetes, respiratory infections, and unavoidable
hospitalisations” said Mrs Greensill.

“With such dire and growing health needs, we must ensure
that Maori health in Hauraki-Waikato becomes of much greater
priority than we have seen over recent years” said Mrs
Greensill.

"When out door-knocking, we have found these issues
associated to the want for better housing, the need to
support poor communities, working families and many of our
kaumatua associate our current condition with the ultimate
neglect of the Treaty of Waitangi" said Mrs Greensill.

“I am looking forward to taking up these issues with
urgency, including the specific health needs of Mâori
children such as asthma, injury prevention, oral health and
hearing, come a successful result for the Maori Party this
Saturday”.

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