Health
1News

'Another brown kid in NZ dying from a f***ed up health system ' - Dr Lance O'Sullivan's scathing critique of NZ health system

November 27, 2018

NZ’s health system has been broken for decades and needs a massive overhaul – not rhetoric — the former New Zealander of the Year tells 1 NEWS.

Former New Zealander of the Year Dr Lance O'Sullivan has delivered a scathing critique of the New Zealand health system following recent deaths from a new meningococcal strain. 

The Government yesterday launched a targeted response to control a meningococcal outbreak in Northland, after a new strain killed three people in the region.

Six people have died nationwide in the past year from the strain. 

The latest strain, MenW has seen 29 people contract the disease in New Zealand (more than twice as many as in 2017) this year, including seven in Northland.

Jacinda Ardern says the MenW strain has reached outbreak level in Northland where three people have died this year.

Public health advocate Dr O'Sullivan wrote on Facebook this morning he was "raging" while reading the news, and shared an article about the mother of a young girl who died from meningococcal.

"I get f**ked off to see another brown kid in NZ dying from a f**ked up health system," Dr O'Sullivan wrote. 

"Access to appropriate clinical care is the big issue."

Dr O'Sullivan wrote about issues encountered in various places around New Zealand. 

"One week I can be working as doctor in Rotorua and come across the case of a Samoan pre-schooler who almost died because of a useless doctor who I would not let look after my dog," he said.

"Despite having free access to health care for more than three decades Māori living in Hokianga are more likely to have their child with barn door obvious symptoms of acute rheumatic fever missed by some jerk off import doctor on a three month working holiday from some uber rich European country.

"I am seriously committed to changing this s**t up. This is notice to entire health system that sees private health companies making millions off the backs of those that they are meant to help.

"I am ashamed to be a doctor in such a f**ked system and can’t wait until the people control their own health!!"

SHARE ME

More Stories