Otago Polytechnic and the Otago
University Students' Association are the latest in a growing
number of organisations to declare their support for
retaining neurosurgery services in Dunedin and for today's
protest march.
Otago Polytechnic was urging students and staff to march and
also intended to lobby the Government, acting chief executive
Dr Robin Day said yesterday.
Committing its strength in numbers would assist in delivering
a strong message to the Government against centralisation of
key healthcare services in Christchurch, he said.
"Our organisation is home to about 700 staff and around
10,000 students based predominantly in the Otago region. We
are not willing to compromise the health and wellbeing of
even one of those people, not to mention our wider community,
by standing by while key services are removed from Dunedin."
The polytechnic delivered quality training to future health
professionals such as nurses, midwives, occupational
therapists and mental health support workers, and its health
programmes relied on a quality, fully functioning health
service, he said.
"Any decline in the provision of health services will have a
knock-on effect on training and education. It may also impact
on the choices students make to study in Dunedin."
The Otago University Students' Association passed a
resolution on Tuesday supporting the neurosurgery campaign.
It was urging university staff and its 20,000 members to
march, president Harriet Geoghegan said yesterday.
"It is vital we keep essential health services in Dunedin.
This loss would affect our members training to be health
professionals, and those who are in need of neurosurgery."
The march has the support of Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin and
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt, both of whom will give brief
speeches in the Octagon before marchers set off for the
hospital.
Marchers will also be handed leaflets giving a telephone
number for Health Minister Tony Ryall so he can be bombarded
with text messages during the afternoon.
~ STREET MARCH ~
• Gather in Octagon from 11.30am.
• Leave Octagon at 11.45am via George St, Hanover St and
Great King St.
• Join hospital staff and those others at Dunedin Hospital at
12.15pm.
• Participate in quiet protest and symbolic circle of support
around the hospital.
• March organised by Otago Daily Times, More FM, New
Zealand Nurses Organisation and "Keep Neurosurgery in
Dunedin" Facebook page.
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