"It's your health and mine"

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 298, 4 August 1989, Page 6

"It's your health and mine"

Health issues are to the fore these days. The Wanganui Area Health Board, along with other Health Boards throughout New Zealand, is grappling with the massive spending cuts demanded by our Health Minister. In our own region we move towards amalgamation with the formation of the enlarged Manawatu Wanganui Area Health Board. It's a fact now, we can stand still and protest,

or learn to run with it and make it work. Closer to home in the Waimarino and Waiouru wards of the Ruapehu District it is of the utmost importance that the Minister of Health be urged to add a Rural Representative to the Wanganui District making it four Representatives on the Board. Only then can we confidently expect our health needs to be met, as the enlarged Man-

awatu Wanganui Area Health Board comes into being. Rural Health Centre plans for the Waimarino feature the provision of both maternity and general beds plus an extension of services out into the community - not a closing of our hospital. Nursing staff will be as evident in the community as they are in our hospital, providing support in the homes, supporting the disabled in the community with the provision of resources to improve their quality of life. Health promotion and education play an ever increasing part in the overall health of our community. Next week a thankyou function will be held at Waimarino Hospital to recognise the tremendous voluntary support and the generosity of the people within this district. A new Community Health Watch Committee has been elected for the next three years. This Health Committee will play an important

role in health promotion and there's still room for more members. We have hospital staff who continue to give dedicated service to their community, let's get behind them with encouragement, let's work at it with a

positive attitude to see that we have a Health service which meets the needs of our people. The arrival of eye surgeon Geoff Duff heralds the beginning of an important service for the Wanganui District. Good things are hapoenine in the region.

Dorothy

Scarrow

Waimarino Representative WAHB