Dr Cam Calder, National List MP based in Manurewa, and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, National List MP based in Manukau East, welcome news that 93 per cent of New Zealand children under six receive free doctors’ visits during the day. Dr Calder and Mr Bakshi say, “This is a huge improvement on 2008 figures, when only 70 per cent of young New Zealand children were receiving free visits to the doctor during the day,”. We are particularly pleased that Counties-Manukau DHB is one of 12 district health boards where all general practices have voluntarily opted into the zero fee scheme and 100 per cent of local children under six receive free doctors’ visits during the day.
A young child’s condition can change rapidly when they are sick, so it’s great that our families have access to medical care for their kids without having to worry about whether they can afford the cost. It means that children are more likely to receive treatment before their condition becomes severe. This Government is committed to improving public services for families and in the past three years over $65 million has been invested in the zero fees scheme. Under Budget 2012, the National Government extended the zero fees for under-sixes to after-hours. Currently98% per cent of children in Counties-Manukau aged under six have access to free after-hours care within 60 minutes of their home.
