N.Z. Is Drug-ridden Country, Says Opposition Member

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1948, Page 5

N.Z. Is Drug-ridden Country, Says Opposition Member

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Speaking in the House of Representatives today on the vote for the Health Department, the Minister of Health (Miss Howard) said it was not Government or departmental policy to close down private hospitals. “We want them to keep open and, in many’cases, we are subsidis - ing them to do so.” Mr M. H. Oram (Opposition, Manawatu), discussing the vote for medical, hospital, and pharmaceutical benefits, suggested that while no one wished to be parsimonious about the benefits, the amount spent in pharmaceutical benefits could easily be reduced if there was a good system of administration. Mr Oram said that £1,600,000 was on the estimates for pharmaceutical benefits, which amounted to about £1 per head, man, woman, and child. Mr R. Macdonald (Government, Ponsonby): You must condemn the doctors, then. Mr Oram said that such a sum was a ridiculous amount to spend for the purpose. Mr Macdonald: Go and. tell the people that. Mr Oram said he hoped the recommendations of the medical services committee would be put into operation by the Minister. It was only by obtaining the co-operation of the medical profession that efficient administration could be achieved.

‘•Go into the people's pantries and you find them absolutely littered w-itli medicine bottles,” added Mr Oram. “We are a’ drug-ridden country.” He asserted that there should' be no need to spend such a huge amount on drugs in a country such as New Zealand. Mr IL E. Combs (Government, Onslow) said it was almost inevitable that people should take advantage of the Social Security scheme.

Dr A. M. Finlay (Government, North Shore) considered that too much medicine was consumed and far too much money was spent on medicines'. He agreed that the administration had not. been as strong as it might have been. The doctors had to shave some of the blame and chemists must take some of the responsibility. The Health Department and Social Security medical and hospital benefits votes were passed. The House adjourned for lunch at 1 p.m.