The Rural Health Alliance says it will be forced to shut down next week unless it gets government funding.
Chief executive of the Rural Health Alliance Michelle Thompson Photo: Supplied
The Rural Health Alliance, which was set up five years ago, represents people in the rural health sector.
It has been supported by donations and volunteers but has become so stretched it has no option but to close unless it gets government help.
Chief executive Michelle Thompson said it had never had government funding before but the alliance presented a funding bid to the Minister of Rural Communities and Minister of Health in November.
"Due to unfortunate delays on their behalf, we still do not have an answer.
"Our financial situation is now precarious, there are more than 600,000 people living in rural New Zealand yet it does not feel we get anywhere near the right level of resourcing," Ms Thompson said.
She said she and the alliance's chair will meet with the health Minister next week.
"The alliance has a vital function in bringing a cross-sector rural health, rural industry and rural community voice to both communicate rural health issues and to identify resource issues."
The health Minister, David Clark, did not want to comment before he met with the alliance.
