New Zealand has only a third of the cardiologists it needs, and a charity head says people are dying as a result of inadequate care.
Code blue team resuscitating a patient. spakadet2/Depositphotos
8/13/2025|Updated: 8/13/2025
A shortage of cardiologists means that half of all New Zealand heart attack patients aren’t being treated within internationally accepted timeframes, a new study by Otago University has found.
The country has just a third of the number of cardiologists it needs, leading to significant backlogs in patient waiting lists.
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.
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