September 23, 2021
Health disparity stats show up as dead children
A member of the Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee says its latest report highlights the need for a Māori Health Authority.
Membership of the board overseeing the new authority was announced today.
The report, which looked at 2666 deaths from 2015 to 2019, found mortality rates were inequitably distributed, with Māori children are six times more likely to die than non-Māori, and Pasifika children right times more likely.
Fale Andrew Lesā says it also found no reduction in rates compared with earlier data reports.
He says the only way to get change is by having Māori and Pasifika in decision-making positions.
“The only reason this report is coming out is because we have a Māori co-chair who decided this is the kind of data our communities desperately need. That’s the value of having our people in those positions of leadership to have those frank conversations with the policy makers and the levers of change,” Mr Lesā says.
Most of the deaths were preventable, with the most common causes being suicide, transport incidents, cancers and sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI).