Government trumpets success in health

The government is trumpeting its successes in health, as Labour prepares for its official campaign launch in Auckland today.

Health Minister David Cunliffe says highlights include progress on key strategies such as immunisation and tackling the burden of chronic disease.

His first National Health Targets report says campaigns against smoking are working, with three-quarters of the nation's households now smoke free.

The number of people getting diabetes checks is up five percent, more adolescents are going to the dentist, and the number of avoidable hospital admissions is down by more than a thousand.

- Newstalk ZB