Thank you for the article on 'Poorer households, poorer hearts' (page 12, The Weekend Sun, August 4).

The Finland report mentioned puts the real issue of community welfare and child health into perspective.

When I was nursing in the mid-1960s, we were all proud of the 1964 World OECD child health statistical report that placed New Zealand in fourth place in child healthcare.

During those years we had a thriving Plunket Society and Karitane nursing community service, based on traditional treatments, prevention, hygiene education and home support. A standard I applied when contracted to manage the new children's ward of the Taumarunui Public Hospital. By 2014, New Zealand was shockingly placed in 24th place in the World OECD statistics for our child health level. This is outrageous, and an indictment on our present medical system. During the decades between 1970 and up to the present day there has been more emphasis on medical drugs, medical services, vaccinations and police intervention in social services and less emphasis on traditional family care, as well as poor government and DHB support for the Plunket Society's role in community welfare. As a consequence New Zealand is now shamefully placed low in world child health statistics.

A comparative research study would point out a solution.

Dr J Priest, Tauranga.