An Otago University researcher has claimed that the health providers are not treating the Maori patients in isolated rural communities as many of them are being infected by the rheumatic fever.

A research team from the University's pharmacy school has investigated and told that the medicines for the treatment of rheumatic fever and of other diseases have been dispensed in the Te Tairawhiti region on the North Island East Coast. They have found that the rural Maori has received fewer antibiotics than the rest of the population, due to which the risks of rheumatic fever are increasing at a higher rate, if they are not treated then they would be suffering from the permanent heart damage.

Some of the researchers have reported that some barriers like poverty; isolation and lack of reliable transport to pick up medicines or visit a doctor are the main reason behind the reasons for the low levels of antibiotic that are used by rural Maori people.

Professor Pauline Norris has revealed that various arrangements are done so that the medicines reach the people by the local stores or businesses as delivery depots.

Dr. Simon Horsburgh from the School of Pharmacy said, "Lower levels of antibiotic use could be the result of Maori not visiting the doctor as often, being prescribed antibiotics less frequently when they do visit, or not having their prescriptions filled. We are planning further research on this in the future."