Don't get sick here

Here are some interesting health statistics from the OECD databank;

In 2006 New Zealand had 2.3 practising physicians per 1,000 population. That ranks us 18th out of 24 countries. Behind us are Korea, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Poland, Japan.

In 2004 there were 13,832 hospital discharges per 100,000 population also ranking us 18th - this time out of 27 countries. Well maybe that's because we are healthier?

Perhaps not. For example where we don't want to rank more highly is in malignant neoplasms. In 2005 there were 172.9 per 100,000 population making us the 8th highest out of 24 countries.

None of it is very encouraging. Relatively speaking, this is not a good country to get sick in.

I have said it before but will say it again. We are now relatively poor. It is not a coincidence that the first two rankings equate roughly to our GDP per capita ranking.