"Historic" child health programmes launched in New Zealand:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
New Zealand's Budget 2006 includes NZ$80.4m (US$50m) for a child health package that will provide what have been called "historic" initiatives. The funds will be distributed over four years and include: NZ$16m for the first-ever universal newborn hearing screening programme; and NZ$40.8m to strengthen the oral health service for under-18s. "The initiatives we'll be funding focus on getting ahead of the problems likely to be faced by our children and providing earlier access to services," said health minister Pete Hodgson.