Wellington's Capital and Coast District Health Board is being urged to boost spending to fight high levels of rheumatic fever and other child health problems in Porirua.
The DHB is being told it should find an extra $365,000 as a matter of priority.
Growing concern about children's health in poorer parts of Porirua led Capital and Coast DHB to call last year for a full report. On Monday, it met with Hutt Valley DHB to discuss the report's findings.
The report shows there are high rates of rheumatic fever in Porirua, and the rate of hospital admissions with serious skin infections is double that of Wellington children.
It shows Maori and Pacific people - particularly children - who live in cold, overcrowded homes are considered 20 to 37 times more likely to be admitted to hospital with first-time acute rheumatic fever.
The report focuses on what officials say are unacceptably high rates of rheumatic fever, serious skin infections and respiratory illnesses, particularly in Porirua East.
It said the number of young people joining a mobile rheumatic fever service in Porirua has tripled, and demand for an eczema nursing service exceeds supply.
Porirua children also have the highest rate of potentially avoidable hospital admissions - often driven by things like asthma and pneumonia.
The report says the causes include poor quality cold and damp housing, overcrowding, inadequate income and poor education.
The leader of a group of clinicians looking at child health in the wider region says Porirua is the rheumatic fever capital of New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Porirua is considered likely to benefit from a Government boost of $12 million to fight rheumatic fever nationwide.
The Capital and Coast DHB says it will consider the funding request.
