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MPs got the hard word today that Maori are less likely to receive the post-natal support they are entitled to than other groups of New Zealanders.
Whakawhetu National SUDI Prevention for Maori is holding a seminar at Parliament hosted by Green MP Marama Davidson.
Manager Katherine Clarke says during the past two years nearly one third of the babies who received no post-natal contacts from professionals were Maori.
Under the Well Child-Tamariki Ora programme, all New Zealand children are supposed to get 13 core visits during their first five years.
Those health providers are supposed to deliver critical information to whanau such as how to position baby correctly when they sleep, which can reduce the rate of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy.
Maori SUDI rates are almost five times higher than other groups.
Ms Clarke says the seminar will suggest ways for improving these outcomes, including alerting health services to the importance of Maori cultural values to the well being of whanau.
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