The first few journeys of the newly established Waka Manaaki - East Coast Health Shuttle have been awesome, says Ngāti Porou Oranga health director Sonya Smith.
The service, funded as a pilot through Te Whatu Ora until December, is for anyone in the East Coast who needs to get to a health-related appointment in Gisborne city.
The waka travels to Gisborne and back to Ruatōrea on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The scheduled times for the shuttle are 7.30am pick-up at the Ruatōrea Clinic; 8.10am at Te Puia Springs Hospital; 8.25am at Tokomaru Bay Clinic; 9am at Te Whare Hauora o Te Aitanga a Hauiti in Uawa/Tolaga Bay; and 10am at Gisborne Hospital.
It departs for the Coast at 3pm from Gisborne Hospital’s main entrance and arrives back at the Ruatōrea clinic at 5.30pm.
