New Zealand's waiting list for medical treatment is out of control, and experts are calling for improved medical services!
Although health care is free in New Zealand, many Chinese know they have to "make their lives better".
On 5 February, New Zealand** reported that nearly 6,000 New Zealanders were waiting to seek medical attention, but the number was growing rapidly.
The waiting time for the first visit, such as surgery, should not exceed 4 months.
But according to a report by the New Zealand Health Department on the performance of the health system, in September 2023, a total of 59,817 patients waited for more than four months.
In September 2022, the data was 35,863, an increase of 67% from the same period of the previous year.
Indeed, since January 2021, the backlog of these cases has been steadily growing every month, at about 1,200 cases.
"This number has exceeded our capacity to treat patients," the report said.
Sarah Dalton said the current situation is troubling, said president of the American Physician & Dental Alliance Specialist Salary Society.
She said"The most basic reason is that many frail patients can be diagnosed and treated, but they just don't get the treatment they deserve. She said.
In September 2023, the number of patients waiting (planned to be cared for) for more than four months also increased by 10% to 29,266.
From April 2023, the number of hospitalized patients far exceeds the number of waiting patients.
The regions with the fastest growth in the number of hospitalized patients are Manuuco, Auckland, and Wikato.
In May 2022, the labour authorities' care working group has already made progress, including local collaboration with hospitals, so that the number of patients waiting for more than a year can be reduced.
However, Dalton said that as more people leave the public sector and move to the private sector, New Zealand still lacks thousands of health care talent.
In the time we wait, there will always be people who will die. They are not entirely due to their own medical conditions, but when their physical condition deteriorates, they develop disabilities such as blindness, inability to work, and so on.
Some diseases can be cured, but because it takes a long time, you still have to suffer a lot. ”