Te Anau residents fight for maternity centre
It was an ‘‘uplifting’’ day for members of the Te Anau community who rallied together to fight for better rural maternity funding and to save the Lumsden Maternity Centre on Saturday.
Jennifer Haslam of Te Anau, the mum of a 7-month-old boy, said she organised the march for the town to get behind the issue and raise concerns.
The maternity centre is under threat because of a lack of funding and the Southern District Health Board has proposed to close the centre.
Northern Southland Health Company, the company that owns and operates the centre, chairwoman Carrie Adams said there had been a 20 per cent increase in costs of midwifery facility cover and a further 20 per cent increase in costs across the board, including auditing and compliance, insurance and administration.
But Haslam said it would be disappointing if the centre closed, especially after the recent closure of Tuatapere maternity unit.
About 300 people took part in the protest march on Saturday to voice their concerns, Haslam said.
The march was ‘‘uplifting’’ and left Haslam feeling ‘‘on cloud nine’’, she said.
‘‘It welcomed the opportunity for people to be empowered.’’
People chanted and carried placards that read ’’More Tourists: Less Services’’, ‘‘Happy Midwife, Happy Life’’, ‘‘Tourism Boom: Services Bust’’ and ‘‘Midwives Matter’’.
Haslam said there was ‘‘a depth of feeling’’ in people’s voices as they were chanting.
‘‘They were really loud and put their voices into it.’’
The event showed just how big a heart the people of Te Anau had, with people of all ages, men and women, out to support the cause, she said.
‘‘It was just amazing; I didn’t think there would be as many as there was.’’
She hoped the Government would realise how important an issue the funding crisis and possible closure of the maternity centre were.
Speeches were made about the meaning of the march, then the group marched from the Fiordland Medical Practice to the takahe on the lakefront, and finished with a lolly scramble for the children, Haslam said.
Like many other mums that used the Lumsden centre, Haslam said the service helped her become more confident as a mum and gave support and care as she found her feet.
A decision about the future of Lums- den Maternity Centre is expected to be announced by the Southern District Health Board on July 31.