Govt provides $16m for Canty DHB quake costs

  • Tony Ryall
Health Earthquake Recovery

The Government has pledged a special payment of up to $16 million to Canterbury District Health Board for earthquake related costs in the 2010/11 financial year ending today.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says, "Before the earthquakes, Canterbury DHB was projecting a break even at the end of this financial year. This additional payment will ensure they do break even and earthquake costs to date are covered.

"This is being paid for from unallocated and unspent funding within the Health budget.

"Further special payments will be made to the DHB over the next couple of years to cover ongoing extra costs expected as a result of the quakes.

"Work is proceeding separately on capital requirements for hospital facilities damaged in the Canterbury quakes."

Mr Ryall is visiting Canterbury again tomorrow, where he will be visiting a mental health and addiction service provider, a retirement village, a health workforce initiative involving the DHB and the Universities of Canterbury and Otago and the Christchurch Polytechnic, and delivering a Mid-Winter dialogue at the University of Otago's Canterbury campus.