There 75 new cases of COVID-19 in the community today, all but one of them in Auckland.
Video / Mark Mitchell / Michael Craig / Mike Scott
A total of $26 million will go to Pasifika health providers working to help people in the Pacific community struggling during the current Covid outbreak.
Associate Minister of Health Aupito William Sio announced that the money would go towards boosting the support for Pacific families - many of whom are linked to the current Covid cluster.
Sio, also the Minister for Pacific Peoples, said the funding was a much-needed investment into the Covid response particularly for the Pasifika community.
"This will ensure that our Pacific health and disability sector have the resources they need to continue delivering critical services and to upscale further support for our aiga [families] and communities.
"Our Pacific providers have proven time and time again that they are an essential part of the Government's response to this outbreak for our Pacific communities."
The money will help sustain the response to the outbreak and support Pasifika health and disability services.
It will also be used to scale up mobile outreach and Pacific community vaccination services and improving engagement and communications to reach specific ethnic groups within the Pasifika community.
The funding comes as 75 new community positive cases were announced yesterday - 74 in Auckland and one in Wellington.
Members of the Assembly of God Church of Samoa turn out in droves to get tested for Covid-19. Photo / Brett Phibbs
As of yesterday, 687 people were linked to the outbreak in Auckland (671) and Wellington (16).
Pacific health providers and community leaders alike have banded together to help the Pasifika community in Auckland and Wellington, after health authorities confirmed most positive cases are of Pacific descent.
Of the seven sub-clusters, the largest is the Māngere Assembly of God church cluster, which had 320 positive cases as of yesterday.
Church spokesman Jerome Mika has acknowledged the work being provided to families by Pacific healthcare providers - including South Auckland-based South Seas Health and The Cause Collective - has helped greatly; particularly as staff are able to communicate with many of their elderly members in Samoan.
Assembly of God Church of Samoa spokesman Jerome Mika. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Other health providers have also been called in to help, including The Fono.
Sio pointed to the outbreak last year, in August, when those providers turned out significantly for Pacific families affected.
There is also a level of trust and familiarity associated with those groups.
"These providers are known and trusted by the communities they live and work in. They have the language skills and the cultural intelligence required for the most effective response.
"They are the heroes on the frontline every day out there, keeping our families and communities safe," he said.
"The solutions for our challenges lie within communities."
