From
the Chair
Sally Webb - Chair, Bay of Plenty District Health Board
It’s incredible to believe that we are in
December already and this is the last Health
Matters for 2016. As you will all be well
aware we have just had the local body
elections including those for the District
Health Board. Seven people are elected
from across the Bay of Plenty region; those
members who will serve you for the next three
years are:
Mark Arundel
Matua Parkinson
Judy Turner
Ron Scott
Marion Guy
Yvonne Boyes
Geoff Esterman
A further four members: Anna Rolleston,
Peter Nicholl, Bev Edlin, and myself were
appointed by the Minister of Health.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
our two Board members who are leaving us
this year; David Stewart and Gail McIntosh.
The experience and commitment they both
brought to the Board table was invaluable and
while we will miss them we wish them both
all the best for their future endeavours.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank
all health providers across the Bay of Plenty
for the dedication and commitment they show
daily, providing health services to us all across
our region.
At this time of year, the Bay of Plenty is
truly one of the best places to be in the
country. We have lots of outdoor attractions
on our doorstep. I plan to be out there
swimming and body surfing at Ohope beach
with my grandsons.
I wish you all a peaceful and safe Christmas
summer holiday, and encourage you to get out
there with your whānau enjoying our beautiful
Bay. But please remember when you are out
in the superb summer we are going to have
SLIP, SLOP, SLAP and WRAP.
Arohanui
Sally Webb
School sore throat swabbing
programme has impact in
Bay of Plenty
New research centred on Bay of
Plenty children, shows throat swabbing
programmes aimed at identifying infections which can cause rheumatic fever
have the greatest impact when they are
provided at school.
Rheumatic fever is a serious disease which
can lead to permanent heart damage if left
untreated. Children and young people from
Māori and Pacific communities are the
most vulnerable.
In the Eastern Bay Māori children aged 5-15
have a one in 40-90 chance of getting Acute
Rheumatic Fever (ARF) in their school years,
compared to 1 in 10,000 for NZ European
children nationwide.
Research led by Whakatāne Hospital
Paediatrician John Malcolm shows the schoolbased throat swabbing programme currently
provided in Opotiki, Kawerau, Murupara, and
Ngai Tuhoe schools has halved ARF rates in
the last five years. And for the greatest at risk
group, Māori boys, the improvement is by
two thirds.
Twice a week during school time children with
sore throats in those schools get their throats
checked and throat swabs taken, by community
health workers.
For those that need them, antibiotics are
provided on GP standing orders through the
community health workers from three iwi led
hauora and the Eastern Bay PHA.
But in Whakatāne where there was no schoolbased Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme,
the research shows rates have almost doubled.
Sore throat drop-in clinics have since started in
four of the schools with once weekly swabbing.
Dr Malcolm celebrating five years of the throat
swabbing programme with Eastern Bay PHA
staff; Kate Dooley, Kate Ball, Liisa Wana and
Sandra Ball.
“Providing the sore throat swabbing programme
at school makes it easier for children in those
high risk groups to access the treatment they
need. It’s normal to talk about sore throats in
those schools as the health workers are familiar,
often whānau, and are there twice a week,” says
Dr Malcolm.
This research recognised at the recent
BOPDHB Clinical Research Awards helps to
document the school programmes effectiveness
and the chances of school programmes being
sustainable and funded in the future.
Rheumatic fever is a preventable disease that is caused by a Group
A Streptococcus (GAS) sore throat. A GAS sore throat can be
identified by a simple throat swab. If ignored, rheumatic fever can
cause permanent heart damage.
Blokes on bikes, riding in support of Rheumatic Fever Awareness, from left: Shaun Phelan, Lawerence Norton,
Richard Albert, Jason Herewini, Aaron Kemp and Ernst Wineti.
Kawerau
success
Nikau Chater singing ‘Strong
Hearts’ at the Kawerau ‘Stop
Sore Throats Hurting Hearts’
talent quest.
Five years ago a school-based Rheumatic Fever
Prevention Programme started in Kawerau, Te
Teko and Te Mahoe.
than tryin a mend a hurting heart’.
Since then, almost every student in those
communities has been enrolled in the programme,
more than 23 thousand throat swabs have been
taken and 2,392 GAS throats have been treated.
“We wanted to thank our amazing whānau, doctors,
nurses and pharmacies with this fun, free event. It
was so nice to be able to celebrate and promote
Rheumatic Fever awareness in a great community
setting towards the end of yet another busy year.”
Nikau Chater from Kawerau Putauaki School is
one of those students. The songbird won the top
prize at the “Stop Sore Throats Hurting Hearts”
school talent quest held at the Kawerau Town
Hall recently to celebrate five years of rheumatic
fever prevention.
She sang about ‘fixing a sore throat’ being ‘easier
Event coordinator, Kahurangi Wineti says five
years is quite an achievement.
The talent quest attracted a crowd of more
than 400 people including a bunch of blokes
on their motorbikes, who happily wore purple
heart t- shirts to raise awareness about rheumatic
fever prevention.