The health of our nation

Medical science has made huge advances in the past 50 years. Changes in the way we live and work, what we understand about disease and the steps we take as individuals to improve our long-term prospects mean many New Zealanders now live longer, healthier lives than at any time in our history.

These advances and the relative speed with which they have been accomplished give scientists hope that we can achieve equally dramatic outcomes with diseases and health issues that so far have resisted our attempts to curb them.

Recognising that well funded, consistent and practical programmes of research will play a vital role in addressing epidemics such as AIDS and diabetes, pervasive killers such as cancer, and resurgent diseases such as tuberculosis and polio, research-led universities throughout the world are now stepping up their efforts to address these ongoing threats to our collective health.

The University of Auckland is home to several outstanding research teams that are using their expertise in the laboratory, in the clinic and in the wider community to improve human health, both in New Zealand and abroad.

While many New Zealanders rightly think of New Zealand as a first world country with a strong health record, diseases like meningitis and diabetes still have a devastating effect on our childhood populations, while cancer and heart disease continue to claim heavy tolls. No-one is suggesting that we can eliminate disease altogether, but our track record clearly shows that these and other health threats will be resolved more quickly if we can better fund research programmes.