Filipino News 169
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04 ISSUE <strong>169</strong> ELEKSYON | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.migrantnews.nz | Facebook: Migrant <strong>News</strong><br />
MIGRANT NEWS - www.migrantnews.nz : New Zealand’s first Migrant community newspaper. Published since 1991. Print. Online. Social Media. FB: Migrant <strong>News</strong><br />
By Ricky Matthew<br />
AUCKLAND - In a<br />
move aimed at improving<br />
accessibility of healthcare<br />
and medication, the government<br />
has axed the $5<br />
charge for prescriptions<br />
with effect from 1 July<br />
2023.<br />
This decision was hailed<br />
by various sectors as a positive<br />
step, particularly for<br />
low-income families, the<br />
elderly and new migrants -<br />
who often face financial<br />
constraints when it comes<br />
to obtaining essential medication.<br />
“An estimated three million<br />
people will no longer<br />
have to worry about the<br />
cost of collecting their<br />
medication’” said Health<br />
minister Ayesha Verrall.<br />
“Removing the $5<br />
charge will make it easier<br />
and cheaper for New<br />
Zealanders to access the<br />
medicines they need and<br />
have a meaningful impact<br />
for many households, particularly<br />
those who have<br />
multiple prescriptions to<br />
fill on a regular basis.<br />
This will benefit a huge<br />
range of people, including<br />
almost 770,000 New<br />
Zealanders over the age of<br />
65 who received prescription<br />
medicines in the community<br />
last year.<br />
“The $5 charge can be a<br />
barrier to some New<br />
Zealanders getting the<br />
medicines they need and<br />
this is especially the case at<br />
“The decision to ditch the<br />
$5 prescription fee was a<br />
no brainer,” say ministers.<br />
Health minister Ayesha Verrall.<br />
Photo supplied.<br />
BUDGET<br />
2023<br />
a time when people are facing<br />
increasing pressures on<br />
household budgets.<br />
“As a doctor, there were<br />
times when my patients did<br />
not collect their medication<br />
and in fact we know that<br />
more than 135,000 adults<br />
did not collect their prescriptions<br />
because of the<br />
cost in 2021-22. This is particularly<br />
the case for lowincome<br />
families, Maori,<br />
Pasifika peoples and disabled<br />
New<br />
Zealanders.<br />
“Free access<br />
to medicine will<br />
also relieve pressure<br />
on the<br />
health system.<br />
Removing the<br />
copayment<br />
charge will help<br />
reduce the<br />
demand on hospitals<br />
and other<br />
health services.”<br />
The removal<br />
of the prescription<br />
charge was<br />
one of the initiatives<br />
in the Budget that<br />
government leaders<br />
explained at a Hui with<br />
migrant leaders in 3 Kings<br />
recently.<br />
Michael Wood, the former<br />
Minister of Immigration,<br />
acknowledged the<br />
financial burden that prescription<br />
costs impose on<br />
households, especially<br />
those with young children<br />
who are more prone to illnesses.<br />
He emphasized that preventing<br />
illnesses from<br />
worsening is not only<br />
morally right, but also<br />
financially sensible, since<br />
The 7th <strong>Filipino</strong>-Kiwi Hero Awards 2024, Auckland<br />
The nationwide search is on for <strong>Filipino</strong>-Kiwis who are outstanding in their fields of endeavour and also<br />
have a passion for community service. If you would like to nominate an individual, group or organization<br />
please contact <strong>Filipino</strong> <strong>News</strong> NZ at email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz or text: 027 495 8477<br />
7TH FILIPINO-KIWI HERO AWARDS 2024<br />
Michael Wood, the former<br />
Minister of Immigration<br />
untreated conditions often<br />
result in increased healthcare<br />
costs down the line.<br />
Priyanca Radhakrishnan,<br />
the Minister for<br />
Diversity, Inclusion and<br />
Ethnic Communities,<br />
emphasized the profound<br />
impact that the $5 prescription<br />
charge removal<br />
will have on public health.<br />
By making medications<br />
more affordable and accessible,<br />
Radhakrishnan<br />
argued that individuals,<br />
families and the overall<br />
health system will all benefit.<br />
"The more available and<br />
the more accessible you<br />
make medication, the less<br />
likely it is that people are<br />
going to come back even<br />
more sick from what they<br />
had." She pointed out that<br />
inaccessibility of medicine<br />
“then leads to much more<br />
expensive hospital stays<br />
and severe illness for people”.<br />
The National Party, on<br />
the other hand, did not<br />
support this policy being<br />
applied universally. National<br />
Leader Chris Luxon<br />
preferred that<br />
the support be<br />
Priyanca Radhakrishnan,<br />
the Minister for Diversity,<br />
Inclusion and Ethnic<br />
Communities<br />
targeted to people with the<br />
community services card,<br />
the elderly and those who<br />
desperately need it.<br />
One commenter mentioned<br />
in a tweet: “If<br />
you've never had to move<br />
57 cents from one account<br />
to another account to be<br />
able to afford your medication,<br />
then you really<br />
shouldn't have an opinion<br />
on this.”<br />
An Asian senior, Kamal<br />
Prasad Shrestha, President<br />
of the Nepalese Cultural<br />
Centre NZ Inc., told<br />
Migrant <strong>News</strong>: “For the<br />
older people, this will help.<br />
Even in my case now that<br />
I'm 74. Even though it is a<br />
small amount we can use it<br />
for some of our expenses.”<br />
Meanwhile, the Pharmacy<br />
Guild of New<br />
Zealand (the<br />
Guild) welcomed<br />
the<br />
government's<br />
removal of<br />
the $5 prescription<br />
charge in the<br />
Budget. Guild Chief<br />
Executive, Andrew<br />
Gaudin, said: “Removing<br />
the prescription charge is<br />
an investment in New<br />
Zealanders’ health and the<br />
wider health system. It<br />
means that more New<br />
Zealanders will get the<br />
medicines they need to<br />
help keep them out of hospital.<br />
This means that<br />
there will be less pressure<br />
on the health system and<br />
will result in savings for<br />
taxpayers.<br />
“This cost-of-living<br />
measure will make a huge<br />
difference to some in our<br />
community who cannot<br />
afford the $5 charge for<br />
each of their prescription<br />
medicines and therefore<br />
Kamal Prasad Shrestha<br />
Community Leader<br />
must make difficult choices<br />
when they are sick.”<br />
Guild President, Des<br />
Bailey, said. “We have<br />
been strongly advocating<br />
for this change for several<br />
years, because we know<br />
what a difference this will<br />
make to the health of New<br />
Zealanders and the wider<br />
health system. We are<br />
pleased to see this hard<br />
work result in positive<br />
change.”