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The Government is putting $30 million into Māori health services to help them respond to the Covid-19 coronavirus threat.
It’s also giving an extra $15 million to the Whānau Ora commissioning agencies and reprioritising $10 million from the Māori Development vote to change the way Te Puni Kōkiri reaches out to the community.
The package blunts criticism from the Māori Party that the Government did not have a plan for Māori.
Associate Health and Whānau Ora Minister Peeni Henare says he and fellow Māori Ministers Nanaia Mahuta, Kelvin Davis and Willie Jackson know Māori have specific challenges that require a specific response.
The new funding is on top of the help many whānau will get from the Government’s $12.1 billion economic packages, which includes wage subsidies, income support, worker redeployment and extra funding for health services.
The Māori health funding includes financial support for Māori provider networks to enable them to meet increased demand;
The development of guidelines to help Māori prepare for self-isolation, particularly when self-isolating as part of a large family group;
Kuia and koroua support such as food parcels and help with medications;
A Māori-specific and Māori-led vaccination programme;
And the establishment of assessment centres in Māori communities.
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