Many children in this country live in poverty, meaning their families do not have enough income and resources for the basics of a healthy life. As a paediatrician, I witnessed the surge in preventable diseases in the mid-1990s, resulting in many more children in hospital, some of whom were permanently damaged. I joined the Child Poverty Action Group to try to understand what was happening.
It was a revelation to see how the benefit cuts of the early 1990s were quickly followed by escalating child poverty levels - the proportion doubled within 1-2 years. Poor health outcomes also dramatically increased, and they are still evident today, nearly 30 years later. These come at a terrible cost to the children, their families, and the community.
This story is from the May 7 - 13, 2022 edition of New Zealand Listener.
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This story is from the May 7 - 13, 2022 edition of New Zealand Listener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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