Buller Hospital rebuild named Te Rau Kawakawa stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The number of West Coasters waiting for surgery or a specialist's assessment has soared because of Covid constraints, the vaccine mandate and staff shortages.
The number of West Coast people waiting for surgery or a specialist's assessment has soared in recent weeks because of Covid constraints, the vaccine mandate and staff shortages.
(File image).
Photo: Supplied / Ministry of Health
The little town of 900 is the first in New Zealand to have the shots on offer to the general public.
West Coast District Health Board operations manager Phil Wheble told the DHB board meeting on Friday that the focus until now had been to immunise front-line health care workers and people in aged care, with 1240 people vaccinated on the West Coast to date. In Reefton, we have the capacity to vaccinate the health workers and anyone else we can - so it s an opportunity to test our systems for the whole community.
Board chairperson Rick Barker said he was pleased staff had chosen to expand the programme to Reefton.