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Waipareira and the Waitemata District Health Board this morning opened a new Maori diabetes clinic at the trust’s Whanau House in Henderson.
Wai Health general manager Airini Tukerangi says Waipareira applauds the DHB’s initiative to make services more appropriate and accessible.
The clinic, Te Hononga Oranga, fits the Whanau Centre’s aim of providing wrap around service for Maori in west Auckland.
It's run on Tuesday and Friday by clinical nurse specialist Coral Skipper of Ngapuhi.
Ms Tukerangi says it breaks the usual pattern where you have to go to a doctor first and then get an appointment for a specialist, which many patients miss.
"This service is about our whanau being able to walk off the streeet, come and have a korero with a Maori clinical nurse specialist specialising in diabetes and being seen by them straight away," she says.
Diabetes is an increasing problem for Maori, who are more likely to experience long term complications 10 years before non- Maori.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH AIRINI TUKERANGI CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjQ0MjQ=
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