‘Goals Missing’ On Health Charter (Press, 18 December 1989)

On 18 December 1989, concerns were raised by some community health groups regarding the New Zealand Government's new health strategy, which did not incorporate targets for mental health and A.I.D.S. prevention. Professor Andrew Hornblow, president of the Public Health Association, expressed support for the new health charter but emphasised the necessity for actionable goals to enhance mental health services. He highlighted alarming statistics indicating that many New Zealanders, particularly teenagers, were facing health challenges. For instance, one in three teenagers smoked, one in three males encountered significant alcohol problems at some point, and one in three individuals experienced psychiatric disorders over their lifetime. Additionally, he underscored the concerning reality that a teenage peer might succumb to severe injury or death from a motor vehicle accident within five years of leaving school. The A.I.D.S. Foundation, represented by director Warren Lindberg, shared similar sentiments, stressing the ongoing challenge to manage the spread of A.I.D.S. and H.I.V. infections. Lindberg acknowledged that A.I.D.S. might have been prioritised in the strategy if not for the foundation's successful preventative efforts. He saw value in the health charter’s principles of health promotion, which focussed on individual dignity, equitable access, community involvement, and addressing the health needs of minorities. The charter, unveiled by Health Minister Ms. Clark, outlined ten key priorities, which included reducing smoking and alcohol misuse, addressing motor vehicle accidents, and tackling health issues like high blood pressure, hearing loss, asthma deaths, coronary heart disease, cervical cancer, and skin cancer while also promoting better nutrition. Ms. Clark explained that these priorities were determined based on the significant causes of mortality, morbidity, and disability affecting the largest segments of the population, with potential for measurable improvements. However, several critical health issues were left out from the initial goals, including mental health, A.I.D.S., sexually transmitted infections, cot death, breast cancer, and other cancers, due to insufficient data and incomplete research. While lung cancer was addressed within the context of tobacco-related health issues, Ms. Clark stated that the priority list was not exhaustive, indicating that health boards would need to consistently reassess their focus in response to emerging health needs.

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