Whānau Ora chief executive John Tamihere, who is acting as a spokesperson for Manurewa Marae. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Whānau Ora chief executive John Tamihere, who is acting as a spokesperson for Manurewa Marae. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Manurewa Marae is defending its vaccination service, saying it is beyond reproach after allegations of false vaccinations were made.
A media report of the allegation has prompted investigations from police and Auckland's vaccination programme authority - the Northern Region Health Co-ordination Centre - but neither have resulted in any action as yet.
An email from Manurewa Marae chief executive Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp was recently sent to staff, stating there had been an allegation false vaccinations had occurred at the marae's vaccination site and an in-house investigation would take place.
Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency chief executive John Tamihere, who was acting as spokesperson given the marae's link to Whānau Ora, said Kemp's email to staff was prompted by media inquiries, not because the allegation had been reported directly to the marae.
As a result, Tamihere said the marae conducted a review into the integrity of its vaccination process yesterday and this morning.
"I'm very happy with the review we've conducted to ensure that the system has the same probity of all vaccination centres up and down the country," he said.
He said the review examined how vaccines were received at the site, how they were tracked through to vaccination, how a person's information was verified and the in-person supervision by multiple staff during vaccination.
Whānau Ora chief executive John Tamihere, who is acting as a spokesperson for Manurewa Marae. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Tamihere, also head of Te Whānau o Waipareira which had its own vaccination centre, did acknowledge it wasn't impossible for false vaccinations to be done, but without more specific information relating to the allegation, there was little more the marae could do.
"Unless you can get the time and the date [of the false vaccination], it's a needle in a haystack."
"There's no system designed by man that has ever been designed to overcome the stupid or crooked.
"Is there the possibility of someone squirting [the vaccine] outside the arm? Yes, there is but where is the evidence for that because the allegation could apply to everybody."
"We can absolutely assert that the integrity of services delivered at Manurewa Marae are unimpeachable at this stage."
Manurewa Marae had administered more than 43,000 vaccinations and was a popular site in South Auckland.
With vaccinations still continuing at the site, Tamihere said whānau from across Auckland had converged on the marae to tautoko staff.
"You've got to lift the [morale] of the staff who have just received a boot in the guts, they were told that there is something corrupt and wrong on their campus ... a Pāhekā provider wouldn't accept this."
The site has been a popular vaccination option in South Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig
A Northern Region Health Co-ordination Centre (NRHCC) spokesperson told the Herald they were aware of the allegation, were in "active communication" with Manurewa Marae and a review of the situation was ongoing.
A police spokesperson said officers were asked about the issue following media inquiries, but were not immediately aware of any related reports into false vaccine passes.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson confirmed the ministry was aware of the claim and was in communication with the relevant district health board which was working with the marae.
The spokesperson would not elaborate on what potential penalty a person could face should the allegation be accurate.
