Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Porirua mayor upset DHB doesn't keep own child health records

Updated at 4:24 pm on 3 February 2012

Porirua mayor Nick Leggett is dismayed the Capital and Coast District Health Board does not keep its own set of statistics on births and child health in the region.

Mr Leggett says he asked the DHB for information on the number of births in East Porirua, and how many of those children get their well-child checks.

East Porirua is the most economically deprived suburb in Porirua, and the children there have the city's highest incidence of rheumatic fever.

Mr Leggett says he was shocked to find the board uses census information held by Statistics New Zealand, for information on births.

The DHB does hold data of births by mothers who live in Porirua East, but that does not include home births or births at other hospitals.

The board also does not have information on the Before School Checks programme, but says the Ministry of Health collects data and then provides DHBs with a district-level view.

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