health

Categories under health

Climate Change & Poverty

Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, January 9th, 2013 - 54 comments

The wildfires in Australia are an immediate cause for concern.  Such events will be more common as average temperatures rise.  Joseph Stigliz warns of an urgent need for structural change to respond to economic decline, climate change, poverty and inequality.

Help our kids!

Written By: - Date published: 2:25 pm, December 10th, 2012 - 4 comments

Irish has already covered the appalling statistics from the Children’s Social Health Monitor. What struck me was the paucity of the Government’s response. Tony Ryall – unavailable for comment – merely put out a statement saying the Government was doing plenty as 33% of the budget went on social security and similar things.  One might […]

The elective surgery “success story”

Written By: - Date published: 7:14 am, November 29th, 2012 - 60 comments

In August we were sold a “success story” – the number of elective surgeries was up and waiting times were down. Last night we learned the untold backstory, with reports of complex procedures being dropped to focus on making the numbers look good. Yet another example of the Nats’ micro-management gone wrong.

Earthquake Red Flags

Written By: - Date published: 11:24 am, October 19th, 2012 - 9 comments

Two years on and the chief executive of the Canterbury District health board David Meates has started to see some worrying trends showing up in Christchurch/Canterbury. People are failing to take their meds. Binge drinking and other dangerous behaviours are on the increase. Government is adding to the problem, not fixing it.

The cancer-mongers’ new ads

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, September 23rd, 2012 - 43 comments

I reckon my theory that the tobacco industry’s stupid ‘agree/disagree’ ad campaign is actually just a way of chucking millions at cash-strapped media outlets to buy their silence (and even backing from Granny) has been confirmed. By one simple fact. The new TV ad, which appeals to crass nationalism to argue that we shouldn’t adopt the Aussie plain-packaging law, is voiced by an Aussie.

I wonder who earned their Christmas bonus for coining the term “Breastapo”?

Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, September 4th, 2012 - 25 comments

There’s been a lot of coverage of breastfeeding “controversies” in the last couple of months.

We’ve reposted Queen of Thorns’ take on it…

Key knows best about everything

Written By: - Date published: 11:13 am, August 25th, 2012 - 26 comments

Key’s claim that illegal euthanasia is happening in NZ has sparked outraged denials from medical professionals. But Key, of course, is not backing down. Once he’s opened his mouth he knows that he knows best.

Can’t buy me love

Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, August 24th, 2012 - 16 comments

The Cancer-mongers’ ad campaign is complete crap. Ineffectual ads that won’t get anyone on side. Doesn’t matter though. They’re not aiming to convince you with the ads themselves. The actual aim’s to put a few hundred thousand dollars in media outlets’ pockets with the promise of more for favourable coverage. The Herald made it a bit blatant though – running a fawning editorial the day after the first full-page ad.

Replying to cancer-mongers

Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, August 16th, 2012 - 23 comments

The Australian Government has won a Supreme Court case on its plain packaging law. The tobacco companies are now planning to take it to the WTO. I hope Gillard responds to the law suit with a letter along the lines of: “Dear Cancer-mongers, Consider yourselves lucky we don’t nationalise your assets and pass a law to have you arrested for corporate homicide. Go fuck yourselves. Regards, Julia.”

A modest proposal

Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, August 8th, 2012 - 25 comments

I plan to start a business. I will be a job creator. 50 people will have jobs thanks to me. The whole community will benefit. My business will make poisoned puppy toys. Don’t get me wrong. They won’t kill every puppy who chews on them every time. Only 50% over the puppies’ lives. 30 puppies a year will die per job created. But – jobs! Does it make it better if I’m only selling the poison puppy toys in Australia?

Fiscal responsibility

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, July 24th, 2012 - 86 comments

John Key doesn’t want to go ahead with plain packaging of cigarettes. The cancer sellers would sue. It could cost a few million to beat them in the international courts (me, I would just create a law of corporate homicide and nationalise their NZ assets). Key baulks at the cost, the risk. But something in the hundreds of millions for free shares to looters? Key reckons that’s a great investment.

Minimum pricing

Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, July 3rd, 2012 - 136 comments

All the evidence (eg) shows that increasing the price of harmful substances is the best way to decrease their use and, particularly, their abuse. Minimum pricing is one effective measure to do that for alcohol. But John Key disagrees. Based on … nothing. He hasn’t even taken the time to understand what minimum pricing is.

Katherine Rich on the Health Promotion Board: The next outrageous piece of Nat cronyism

Written By: - Date published: 10:35 am, June 28th, 2012 - 50 comments

Putting the CEO of the leading lobbying agency and industry promotional group for companies promoting sales of sugar, fat and alcohol on the Board of the public health agency supposed to prevent harm to young NZers is an outrageous act of cronyism.

Scraping cents, but costing us dollars

Written By: - Date published: 2:11 pm, June 18th, 2012 - 86 comments

Another day another story of National scrimping short term savings that will cost us much more in the long run. This time, they’re scrapping free sex advice for teenagers. It’s almost like they want more youth on the DPB to give them a scapegoat to demonise…

Postcards from the “brighter” future

Written By: - Date published: 12:26 pm, June 5th, 2012 - 18 comments

Hey John – where’s our “Brighter Future”? Hey National voters – was this what you voted for?

Life is what happens

Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, May 15th, 2012 - 21 comments

A short, poignant guest post.

Compulsory vaccination

Written By: - Date published: 2:48 pm, May 12th, 2012 - 341 comments

It is the Nats’ belief that those on a benefit have fewer human rights than the rest of us. They can simply be told what to do. So now we have a compulsory vaccination debate.

$100m for Lizards

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 pm, April 26th, 2012 - 26 comments

John Key and Bill English couldn’t find $150million over four years for increased parental leave that would hugely benefit future children. Horrors – we would have to borrow! But they could find $100million straight away to pay international investment banks including Australian company Lazard’s to advise on asset sales that robs our children’s future and that  nobody else wants. It’s a matter of priorities – money gets money, kids get nothing.

A Butcher’s Shop, a Toy Shop, a Candy Store and a Childcare Centre

Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, April 25th, 2012 - 14 comments

Steven Joyce’s personal fiefdom of Economic Development, Science and Innovation, Building and Housing, and Labour is confirmed. Now for the redundancies…

Daughter, my generation is squandering your birthright

Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, April 20th, 2012 - 46 comments

Will our children think of the welfare state, the tiger and the rhino as part of a mythologised Arcadia?

Milking a Land of Plenty?

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, April 4th, 2012 - 86 comments

NZ milk production has apparently risen by 30% since 2005. And, according to sources used by frenz.co.nz, back in 2006  over 14 billion liters of milk and 1.2 billion kilograms of milk solids (were) being processed by dairy companies annually That’s a lot of milk and associated dairy to spread around some four and a […]

Your life, your choice

Written By: - Date published: 1:29 pm, March 29th, 2012 - 29 comments

The right to choose to end our lives is back on the political agenda with Maryan Street’s private member’s bill on euthanasia going into the ballot. If it’s drawn, it will be the third time in 17 years such a Bill has come up. The first one was voted down 2 to 1, the next lost by 3 votes. This time, success seems highly likely.

Won’t somebody think of the children

Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, March 25th, 2012 - 159 comments

The rate of third world disease in this country is a crime. A crime against the poor perpetrated by the rich. They call it neoliberalism – the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of the capitalist elite. They didn’t set out to make kids sick and kill them but it was an inevitable result of their actions and they don’t care. Now, what’s Labour’s take?

The neoliberal plague

Written By: - Date published: 9:03 am, February 23rd, 2012 - 131 comments

Since New Zealand skulled the neoliberal cool-aid, hospital admissions for infectious diseases, the diseases of poverty, increased 51% while dropping in the countries we should consider our peers. The working class life has gotten worse; our wages are lower, our jobs gone, and our families living in unhealthy houses owned by slum landlords.

A sustainable future

Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, February 8th, 2012 - 19 comments

The UN High Level Panel on Global Sustainability has delivered a report about creating a future that’s sustainable economically, socially and environmentally. Our government and political parties should be looking at it and measuring themselves against it.

3rd World New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 12:22 pm, November 21st, 2011 - 37 comments

25K Kiwi kids get infections like rheumatic fever and scabies each year. Disease sthey haven’t seen in Sweden since the 70s.We treat our kids like an expense, not an investment. Then we wonder why we have unhealthy, uneducated, unskilled adults and our country gets left behind. We’re becoming a 3rd world country. It’s 3rd world thinking that’s getting us there.

Key lied on health cuts

Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, November 3rd, 2011 - 12 comments

In the TVNZ debate on Monday, John Key claimed that he had cut ‘back office’ jobs and increased health services.That wasn’t true. The fact is, funding cuts have reduced the capacity of many health services. ‘Front-line’ staff are doing ‘back office’ work as well and everything else is getting squeezed to put more money into ‘sexy’ elective surgery numbers.

A new low

Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, October 19th, 2011 - 44 comments

Last election, National promised to subsidise a treatment for the rare and deadly Pompe disease. Now, they won’t even meet with the sufferers. The truth is that New Zealand can’t afford ongoing treatments that cost $1m per patient per year. National promises us whatever we want to hear to get our votes. Knowing from the start they’ll never deliver.

Suicide and community

Written By: - Date published: 1:13 pm, August 27th, 2011 - 67 comments

Following the release of data by the Chief Coroner, suicide is once again getting some time in the headlines.  Coincidentally, news from Christchurch supports the suggestion that stronger communities reduce suicide rates.

Flavell fails on suicide

Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, July 28th, 2011 - 45 comments

Last week, Jim Anderton said that the tidal wave of youth unemployment we’re experiencing will lead to more suicides. He’s right. The best response from the Right: slash young people’s wages and that might create a few more jobs. But Te Ururoa Flavell’s suggestion to ostracise and condemn the dead is just as bad.

Lifting productivity

Written By: - Date published: 9:45 am, June 17th, 2011 - 14 comments

So, the statement of intent from the Ministry of Health  has just been released. This document outlines how our health service will operate during the next three years; so what does it actually say? Is health truly safe under National?