Hague Kevin: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hague Kevin: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:665;Page:12753] 
11. 
KEVIN HAGUE (Green) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Health 
: What advice has she received about the cost to New Zealand of rheumatic fever for which New Zealand has rates 14 times the OECD average? 
Hon TARIANA TURIA (Associate Minister of Health) 
: 
 Tena koe e te Rangatira. The Ministry of Health has advised that rheumatic fever hospitalisation costs are approximately $10 million per annum. The ministry is co-funding an economic analysis of cost-effective strategies for managing rheumatic fever. Those results are expected in October 2010. 
Kevin Hague 
: Does she regard her Government’s plan for dealing with rheumatic fever as outlined by Minister Ryall in this House on 16 June as adequate; if not what has been added to the plan since then especially as there is no immunisation programme for rheumatic fever even though immunisation was a crucial part of the plan that Mr Ryall outlined? 
Hon TARIANA TURIA 
: My understanding is that the streptococci infection that causes rheumatic fever has a number of strains and this is the reason why a vaccination programme has not taken place in New Zealand at this time. 
Kevin Hague 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked whether she regarded the Government’s plan as adequate and if it was not what had been added to the programme since then. I do not believe that the answer addressed that question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: But I seem to recollect the member including in his question something specifically about vaccination programmes. I seem to recollect his including that in his question. That is the piece the Minister answered. 
Kevin Hague 
: What does her Government intend to do to address overcrowding and poverty the main contributing factors to this disease? 
Hon TARIANA TURIA 
: The Ministry of Health is already beginning to work across the range of Government agencies because we know that the health system alone cannot address the significant issues that impact on families who have children with rheumatic fever. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: How will the increase in GST which will put further pressure on family budgets and the significant cut in the public health budget—both measures that were in the Budget this year which was supported by the Associate Minister’s party—help address issues such as our rheumatic fever rates? 
Hon TARIANA TURIA 
: The ministry’s programme is comprehensive and seeks to address the determinants and to boost primary prevention and secondary treatment which are both important planks in managing rheumatic fever. The ministry’s programme includes providing leadership across the health and rheumatic fever sector looking for evidence and accountability looking at prevention by collaboration across Government agencies and local government to address determinants and communicating and working with communities and health professionals to improve health literacy and recognition of rheumatic fever. The ministry is rolling out the checking of throats—making it important. In all areas where we have high incidence of rheumatic fever those things are being carried out. 
Kevin Hague 
: I seek leave to table a document entitled “Why we still need to think of rheumatic fever”. It was published by the  
Best Practice Journal  
in May 2008 and sets out the problems with rheumatic fever and some successful approaches to it. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.