May 15, 2013
Doubts over throat swabbing value
Advocacy groups are welcoming a budget boost for fighting rheumatic fever, but Labour is warning the money is being spent the wrong way.
The Government intends to spend another $21.3 million over the next four years to target communities in Porirua and Auckland that experience the highest rates of disease.
Just over $11 million will go towards free sore throat drop-in clinics to reach high-risk families whose children don't attend schools.
Almost $5 million will be spent on an awareness campaign, $3 million goes to a healthy homes referral and advice service in Auckland, and $1.6 million will be spent on research on a rheumatic fever vaccine.
The Child Poverty Action Group says rheumatic fever mostly affects Māori and Pacific children living in poor quality housing, so the more done to combat the disease the better.
But Labour Health spokesperson Annette King says a report commissioned by the Health Ministry has questioned the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of National’s school throat swabbing programme.
She says money would be far better spent on improving access to affordable primary health care, where not just rheumatic fever but other illnesses of poverty, like respiratory diseases and skin infections, would also be picked up.
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