Pods for babies overdue

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

The fear of what are commonly called "cot deaths" - more properly known as sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) - has haunted many a new mother.

So it is particularly pleasing news that the long-awaited Pepi-Pod programme is under way in the Wanganui region.

Pepi-Pods are placed in the parents' bed so that the baby has parental comfort and oversight while still having a safe and protected sleeping space.

The Whanganui District Health board has been working on a Pepi-Pod programme for some time and has now contracted the Whanganui Regional Health Network to buy and distribute them.

But the question has to be asked: Why has it taken so long?

Pepi-Pods are seen as a way of lowering the SUDI rate - in other words, saving lives - and the Whanganui health board has the worst infant death rates in New Zealand.

It reported 18 deaths of children between 28 days and a year old in the four years to 2012, according to a survey by the Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee. That is a rate of a 4.03 deaths for every 1000 live births.

There were 16 such deaths in the four years 2007 to 2011 at a rate of 3.54.

It is clearly not a new issue for the Whanganui board, but it seems to be one that has taken a while to get up the priority list.

Nearly 1400 Pepi-Pods were handed out by health boards around the country last year.

Eight district health boards distributed 1373 of them in 2013 for at-risk babies, with Waikato leading the way with 462, followed by Hawke's Bay with 320. Neither of those health boards has infant death statistics to match Whanganui.

Still, whatever caused the delay here, it is heartening that obstacles seem to have been overcome and the programme is now on track.