New Zealand’s Health Minister, Dr. Shane Reti, has announced a new focus on preventing and treating Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This condition, which is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability, affects hundreds of families in New Zealand. Every day, approximately five children are born with FASD, a condition that significantly impacts their lifelong learning and development.
Dr. Reti has announced several new initiatives to enhance the healthcare workforce’s ability to assess, diagnose, refer, and support people with FASD and their families. These initiatives are designed to address the physical, behavioral, learning, and mental health problems that people with FASD can experience throughout their lives.
Dr. Reti, who is also a general practitioner, acknowledges that FASD has been under-recognized and under-supported for a long time. He believes that prevention, early detection, and intervention are the most effective ways to improve the health and wellbeing of people with FASD.
The new initiatives align with the government’s priorities to improve public services, such as health and education, for all New Zealanders, while also rebuilding the economy. The initiatives will be funded through various sources, including baseline funding, the alcohol levy, and the Proceeds of Crime funding, with over $2 million currently dedicated to these efforts.
