Otago University Neuro-surgery department will not close and Christchurch hospital which has four neurosurgeons will get one more. This news was announced yesterday. Neuro-surgery is brain surgery.
Earlier this year, the government said it was too expensive to have two neuro-surgery departments in the South Island for the small population. The government thought Christchurch was the best place for this. However, the people of Otago and Southland protested. There were protest marches. They argued that if urgent brain surgery is needed, this must be done without delay. Flying patients to Christchurch from Otago takes too long. Also, Otago is the home of the first medical school in New Zealand – Auckland also has a medical school – and the study of Neuro-surgery is an important part of a medical school. Christchurch hospital argued that more people live in Christchurch so that’s the best place to have a neuro-surgery department.
The population of the Canterbury province is 565,800. The population of Otago and Southland is 284,700.
The government set up a group of experts who recommended that both Otago and Christchurch have a neuro-surgery department. Otago will also have a professor and senior lecturer in neuro-surgery to do research. It is not clear where the money will come from for these extra neuro-surgeons.
Questions
Neurosurgery is often needed for brain injuries from accidents. What other illnesses or diseases might need neurosurgery?
As people get older, is this likely to increase the need for neurosurgery?