Fund-raisers not encouraged

Press, 30 April 1981, Page 12

Fund-raisers not encouraged

PA' ' Dunedin Communities that raise funds for medical equipment would not be encouraged by the Minister of Health (Mr Gair). Mr Gair, speaking on a radio talkback programme in Dunedin, said the OtagoSouthland body scanner appeal, which raised more than $1 million for a scanner at Dunedin Hospital, was a “very commendable gesture” but he would not wish to encourage other communities to follow suit. “Although I would do nothing to restrain them, it can mean that an emotional appeal can change the whole list of priorities for medical expenditure,” he said.

“What we have got to dp with limited resources for health services is try to stick rigidly to what we believe are the right priorities, and spend in that way,” he said. A certain amount of money would still need to be raised through taxes to spend on health, and if each community that wanted a scanner started raising the money, “we would have a proper fix in no time.” Mr Gair said that when the money was raised for the Dunedin body scanner, he helped facilitate the purchase, but he was not in a position to allocate money at this stage to its running. K