The best Mother’s Day present

Media Release
10 May 2006

In support of Mother’s Day, Sunday 14 May 2006

The best Mother’s Day present

On Sunday 14 May, Mother’s Day, it is 99 years to the day Dunedin doctor, Truby King, concerned about the child mortality and the lack of help and advice available to new mothers, called a public meeting. The result was the formation of Plunket, an organisation that to this day continues to advocate for child health.

“Give mum the most effective Mother’s Day present ever, download from www.plunket.org.nz and sign the petition to keep Plunket in PlunketLine and reinstate Ministry of Health funding,” says Plunket’s New Zealand president, Kaye Crowther.

The parent help line is one of the most successful examples of primary health care that exists not only in New Zealand but also internationally, as it is an exemplar of well child health care.
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More than half of all calls are resolved by PlunketLine staff. Most of these callers would have visited their doctor or an after-hours service had they not been helped by PlunketLine.

PlunketLine broke new ground when it started in 1994, and despite testing times and has proved itself to be an essential service in the lives of New Zealand families. Its callers are not only new parents, but experienced parents, caregivers, grandparents and even antenatal clients.

“It’s Plunket’s 99th birthday this Mother’s Day and child and family health will always be a priority for Plunket,” says Kaye Crowther.

ENDS

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