绿党今天在奥克兰儿童风湿热作为政府未能解决住房危机和贫困儿童的直接结果生病落下。

今天公布的数字显示孩子的数量在奥克兰和怀特玛塔区卫生局地区风湿热has stayed at the same level,despite a Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme running for five years now.

“This is a stark reminder that the housing crisis isn’t going away, and that for some families it’s a matter of life or death,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

“大多数地区都看到在风湿热的减少，但不是在奥克兰，在那里我们知道有大量居住在人满为患，感冒的人，受潮发霉房屋，汽车和车库。

“Kids should not be contracting rheumatic fever in 21st century New Zealand but that’s the reality of what we’re dealing with here, and it will continue to be that way until we have a Government that is committed to ending the housing crisis and child poverty.

“If you don’t target the housing crisis happening right now, it is extremely difficult to address rheumatic fever. Getting kids out of living in cars, garages, and damp and overcrowded homes will help to reduce rheumatic fever rates.

“孩子们会继续生病，直到我们有一个健康的家庭的最低标准，如对租赁住宅一WOF。

“The Government also needs to build more state houses, and make sure they are warm, safe and dry.

“As a minimum, the Government can stop selling state houses in Auckland so that families aren’t forced into overcrowded conditions.

“The Green Party’sSchools at the Heart policywould make sure that all low decile schools have a dedicated school nurse to screen for illnesses like rheumatic fever,” Mrs Turei said.