Dr. Chris Holdaway, a Hamilton vascular surgeon and former head of surgery at Waikato Hospital, is trying to introduce a new type of vascular compression surgery in New Zealand to treat Abdominal Vascular Compression Syndromes (AVCS).
These conditions cause severe pain by restricting blood flow due to abnormal pressure on blood vessels. Despite the potential benefits, Holdaway faces significant barriers within the health system. Currently, patients must travel to Germany and pay over $100,000 for the surgery.
According to a report in legacy media, Holdaway, after learning the procedure from experienced German surgeons, returned to New Zealand ready to implement it but has encountered resistance from both private and public hospitals.
The private Braemar Hospital rejected the surgery, suggesting it should be tested in the public system first. Health NZ, citing New Zealand’s small population and limited capacity to offer all global treatments, points patients to the high-cost treatment pool for overseas procedures. Holdaway, having seen 86 AVCS patients in the past year and facilitated travel for 15 to Germany, continues to advocate for local availability of the surgery. Despite using the grafts involved throughout his career, Holdaway’s attempts to gain approval have been met with bureaucratic hurdles, prompting him to seek intervention from Health Minister Shane Reti. He said the surgery is not a complete cure but significantly reduces pain, while highlighting the inequity for those unable to afford overseas treatment.
Holdaway’s efforts reveal a broader issue within the health system, where innovative treatments face significant approval challenges. Braemar Hospital’s committee, though respecting Holdaway’s expertise, insisted that such advanced procedures should be initially validated within the public system to ensure comprehensive patient safety and support.
Image credit: Piron Guilliaume
“….a broader issue within the health system…”
Yeah, and that issue is corruption.
Since decades the NZ ol’boy system has carved out it’s own gravy train by refusing research, procedures and accreditation of overseas first world procedures and practitioners. As if New Zealand trained medicine could top first world standards! PATHETIC and CORRUPT!
A quota system at the core of that corruption, and additionally blatant pecuniary corruption, i.e. donations, in universities and research facilities by the usual suspects, has brought standards to the state of what this publication alerts to.
And again NOBODY in the hierarchy seems to give a damn, aye Seymour and Reti?
That’s right- test it on the lab rats in the public sphere who can’t afford private health insurance…
Don’t approve the procedure, since it actually works, because it goes against the population reduction that the PTB have implemented via the bio-weapon vaccines, and is on time as per the Deagel Forecast for 2025 with regards to population reductions.
When wokeness interferes with and takes focus away from professionalism, science and medicine: Braemar Hospital
https://www.braemarhospital.co.nz/about-us/
No wonder so many dynamic and highly skilled Health professionals are leaving our shores. I had a brilliant Skin Specialist and sadly now see he is practicing in “Adelaide”.
Mediocre is the now New Zealand Health system normal with patients precluded from receiving appropriate testing, opportunities to participate in research and clinical trials and can’t even be afforded timely referrals.
To see this downward spiral is beyond disappointing. Many will make a move to overseas shores..why not!
Do in home country or pay 100k for trip to Germany?
Preaching equity (all countries rich and poor receive same treatments), while denying equity in this case 🤔.
‘ Health NZ, citing New Zealand’s small population and limited capacity to offer all global treatments’ is at the same time extending the vaccination programme.
Anybody here interested in crossing the motu and becoming a vaccinator? It seems anyone can apply.
‘There is a range of vaccinating roles that make up our vaccinating workforce. All these roles help deliver our immunisation programmes across the motu. Each has different pathways, training and authorisation requirements.’
https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/health-services-and-programmes/vaccine-information/vaccine-service-delivery/vaccinating-workforce/
Is New Zealand the Gates/Schwab lab rat?
Pretty much arse about face. We can do complex gender reassignment here but not surgery that actually benefits physically sick people. Who here would prefer this good doctor be able to practice this intervention and send, oh I don’t know, but let’s say gender reassignments, overseas?