Last week was World Immunisation Week and today we are facing the outbreak of measles with the closure of an Auckland school. This highlights the vulnerability of our unvaccinated communities and exposure to such diseases as measles. The gap between Māori tamariki and whanau and other ethnic groups in Aotearoa is clear when it comes to immunisation levels.
The National Hauora Coalition is excited to be partnering with Te Aka Whai Ora and other Māori PHO to bring a new immunisation initiative aimed at whānau Māori.
NHC will extend services by partnering with Māori providers to close the gap in immunisation rates.’ Services will be whānau-focused rather than focused exclusively on a child. All whānau members will be offered and encouraged to engage in immunisation services including MMR, Influenza, COVID-19, Pertussis, and childhood immunisations. This kaupapa will allow Māori providers to use their approach in supporting the uptake of immunisations and meet whānau needs. The providers will also look to support whanau to become enrolled in health services supported by Māori.
NHC wishes to encourage all whānau to become involved. Let’s catch up to protect our pēpi and protect our whakapapa.
For more information, visit https://www.immunise.health.nz/
About National Hauora Coalition
NHC is a charitable social enterprise and Aotearoa’s largest Māori-led PHO. The organisation’s kaupapa is mana whānau, whānau ora – prosperous families living well, and is a lead advocate for hauora Māori (Wai 2687) through the Waitangi Tribunal Health Services Kaupapa Inquiry (Wai 2575). In its day-to-day activities, NHC partners with a wide range of agencies, iwi, and industry groups to commission and deliver indigenously designed health and social services to improve health outcomes for whānau Māori, achieve health equity and greater social cohesion for the benefit of Aotearoa.
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For further information please contact:
James Davies
+64 27 319 2282
jamesd@nhc.maori.nz
