Government Report Ignores Our Most Vulnerable

IHC New Zealand is dismayed that a new Government report,
billed as a “nationwide picture of the population’s
health,” ignores the 47,000 people with intellectual
disability in New Zealand.

Te Whata Ora Health New
Zealand’s Health Status Report acknowledges that
significant inequities in health outcomes exist, but it
doesn’t delve any deeper.

IHC Director of Advocacy
Tania Thomas says it’s critical that intellectually
disabled people, who experience the worst outcomes of all
New Zealanders, are counted.

“It has been 13 years
since the Government has adequately reported on the health
indicators people with intellectual disabilities, and that
data was collected in 2008,” says Tania. “That report
told us that the life expectancy gap between the general
population and intellectually disabled people was a
staggering 23 years.”

In
2023, IHC released a groundbreaking report to fill in
the gaps and better understand how to improve and advocate
for better health outcomes for this vulnerable
population.

“For the first time we have a life
expectancy rate not just for the intellectually disabled
population, but for the Māori intellectually disabled
population,” says Tania. “The life expectancy for a
Māori man with intellectual disability is just 62, and for
women it’s 63. It’s a travesty that this is below
retirement age.

“It’s time for the Government to
highlight, prioritise and address the unfairness of health
provision in this
country.”

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