Government Must Take Some Responsibility

The MP for Te Taitokerau, the Hon Tau Henare, today called on health authorities to reconsider its decision to take an elderly Whangarei man of dialysis treatment.

Sixty-four-year-old Rau Williams was taken off the renal dialysis treatment programme at Whangarei Hospital last week. He is not expected to live much longer.

Mr Henare sent an impassioned letter to Northland Health last week asking it to reconsider its decision on Mr Williams.

Today Mr Henare renewed his call saying Mr Williams had served his dues.

"Rau Williams is typical of the older working population in this country who have worked hard all their lives and contributed meaningfully to the [health ]system through his taxes only to be let down by the system at the end of the day," said Mr Henare.

"It's a sad irony but true. This is not going to win me any friends in government but maybe as a Government we need to step back and have a look at the system; a system people like Rau Williams has helped to build, and ask ourselves if at the end of the day we can't make it work for the benefit of people like Rau, what will."

Mr Henare said Mr Williams was coherent and still had a will to live.

He said it was not good enough for health authorities to say Mr Williams did not meet its criteria and therefore would be denied treatment.

"Where's the humanity in making such judgements? All your working life you're taught that you have to pay taxes for the welfare of the country so that if you get sick, there's a hospital you can go to make you better.

"So people do that, they pay their taxes, never really questioning whether the system they've long supported is going to be there to support them when they need it.

"As a government we need to take responsibility for the system.

"If you're sick you go to a doctor. If the doctor says you go to the hospital, you go to the hospital and you stay there until you're better. It's all to do with the hypocratic oath doctors take to ensure they do their best to ensure you're as well looked after as you can be," he said.

Mr Henare said as a matter of principle he would continue to lobby for Mr Williams, though he did not hold much hope of a change of heart by the authorities.

ENDS

Inquiries to
Reuben Wharawhara, Press Secretary:
(04) 471 9170 or 025 477 984

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