Ngā iwi Te Tauihu working to keep whānau safe from Delta
The eight iwi of Te Tauihu have pooled their resources and whānau networks together to ensure an equitable vaccination rollout for Māori in their region.
The local vaccination campaign has seen a ramp-up in vaccinations since the lockdown. Last week 932 Māori were vaccinated with 84% of those being first dose vaccinations.
“We see this increase in uptake as very important and positive because it shows that many whānau are making the decision to protect themselves and their wider hapu and community,” says Dr Lorr Eade, Pouwhakahaere of Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Charitable Trust.
The collaboration involves Māori Hauora providers Te Piki Oranga and Te Hauora o Ngāti Rārua, Omaka, Whakatu and Te Āwhina Marae, Nelson Marlborough DHB, PHO’s and Iwi who have come together in an act of kotahitanga (oneness) to drive a successful campaign.
The joined up campaign has leveraged from Karawhiua led by Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry for Māori Development), co-delivered by Te Hiringa Hauora (Health Promotion Agency), and supported by the Ministry of Health New Zealand and the Unite against COVID-19 teams. Karawhiua means Give it heaps! Go for it!”
Iwi have tailored the campaign with local messaging and the recruitment of whānau champions to reflect their communities in an authentic way through LIVE panel discussions, video, photos on billboards and banners to running education workshops across the region.
“The way in which we are working together reflects treaty-based principles of engagement from conception, development to delivery and brings to the surface how our incredible Māori health workforce, addresses inequity,” says Dr Eade.
“Working collaboratively, we are able to collectively target resources with appropriate solutions. As an example, if we need to take the vaccinations to whānau in certain communities to address barriers to the vaccine we can pull our resources to ensure that happens”.
“We encourage whānau to book in for their vaccinations if they haven’t already. They can check out our Facebook pages for updates on the various ways they can get vaccinated and seek support through the lockdown in Te Tauihu. Go to @TeKotahioTeTauihu”.
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Pictured: and Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta with his whanau. Tasman Mako players have stepped up to be whānau champions.
