Piecemeal Dental Strategy Will Waste Funding

new-zealand-first-party

Fri Mar 02 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Piecemeal Dental Strategy Will Waste Funding

Friday, 2 March 2007, 10:17 am
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

Media Release

2 March 2007

Parents of children in the Canterbury District Health Board’s catchment area will be relieved to learn of their board’s business plan for community clinics and mobile units to replace outdated dental clinics, says New Zealand First’s health spokesperson Barbara Stewart.

“Canterbury children have some of the worst teeth in New Zealand, largely because of a lack of fluoride in the water.

“However the Canterbury project is expected to cost in the vicinity of $31 million from a total pool of $100 million set aside by the Government for the purpose.

“This raises the question of how much money will be left for oral health services at the 20 other district health boards.

“If money is allocated on a population basis Waikato DHB should be eligible for a similar amount and that will mean about 60% of available funding will go to two district health boards.

“Without a national strategy for dental health improvement it could end up being a case of first in first served which will disadvantage children in areas whose district health boards are a bit slow off the mark.

“A bigger investment and a co-ordinated national strategy is required if the Government is serious about improving children’s dental health on a national basis,” said Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

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