Tihei: Vaccination stats must rise

PM Jacinda Ardern visited Kahungunu leadership to discuss ways to help get whānau vaccinated. She is pictured digging up the hangi that will go to those being vaccinated at the Taiwhenua.

In a Covid-19 update received October 7 from John Whaanga, deputy director-general, Māori Health Directorate, Ministry of Health, vaccine statistics revealed that over 5.5 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered across the motu, including 3.38 million first doses and 2.15 million second doses.

Although it sounds great, we are still needing to motivate the rest of our country to vaccinate. A total of 70,198 vaccines were administered throughout the country, with 18,847 people receiving their first dose, and 51,351 people receiving their second.

For the Māori rollout, overall, 332,741 of our whānau have had one dose of the vaccine, and 191,873 have had their second dose and are fully vaccinated. This means 58 per cent of our eligible Māori people have had one dose and 33.5 per cent have had their second.

As Minister Hipkins said last week, vaccination is the best tool we have to provide everyone with their individual armour against Covid-19 and to reduce the need for strict lockdown restrictions in the future. It's clear the virus is finding people who aren't vaccinated, we've seen this already in the number and type of cases coming through.

Ngāti Kahungunu leaders met with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last Friday to discuss some of the things that the iwi is doing to encourage vaccination.

"What has been proven time and time again is that 'by Māori, for Māori, with Māori' works," iwi chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana said.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Ngahiwi Tomoana. Photo / Supplied

"If we had been resourced early we would have equal numbers, but we are not being resourced to do that," he said.

"The simple answer is that more resourcing needs to be provided to enable a by Māori, for Māori, with Māori approach by iwi, taiwhenua and kaupapa Māori providers and organisations to lead out vaccinations for our people.

"The Tihei Mauri Ora model is one such approach which proved its effectiveness to reach and support our most vulnerable whānau, regardless of ethnicity during the Covid lockdown in 2020."

While the Tihei Mauri Ora hubs have continued to provide leadership and coordination within their communities throughout the Delta outbreak, these have limited funding from iwi and Te Puni Kōkiri and their local district health boards.

"The Tihei Mauri Ora Centre based in Hastings is manned by Health Hawke's Bay Primary Health Organisation staff under the direction of PHO group manager, Māori Health, Henry Heke, who last year led the centre from his role in the Hawke's Bay District Health Board as head of intersector and special projects.

"This team have provided heat and eat meal packs on a large scale to whānau pounamu and to vaccination centres at marae and general practices to encourage whānau to be vaccinated.

"These 'By Māori, for Māori, with Māori' opportunities need to be scaled up if we are to achieve equity of vaccination. This approach needs to be resourced by Crown agencies and include the provision of mobile vaccination facilities," said Tomoana.

"The health equity issues for Māori have always been highlighted, however, what we know is that if the approach is not 'by Māori, for Māori, with Māori' whānau do not have equal access.

"Māori providers and communities need to be resourced to provide their own delivery approach in each of their communities."

Last week a news reporter asked Ngahiwi Tomoana if the iwi was ready for a Delta outbreak in the community. The short answer is no!

No one is, because access to resources and services are still an issue for the most vulnerable of communities. Add to that poor housing conditions, overcrowding, poverty and poor nutrition, this becomes a magnet for Delta.

"If Government doesn't work with Māori to help our own, we will suffer."

You can help increase Māori vaccination rates, by continuing to encourage your friends and whānau to book in for their vaccinations as soon as possible. It's safe and it's free. They can do this online or by calling 0800 28 29 26.