December 16, 2021
Māori stragglers chased as DHB hits milestone
Counties Manukau Health has hit the 90 percent vaccination target, meaning all district health boards in Tāmaki Makaurau have reached the milestone for the eligible population 12 and up.
Chief executive Fepulea’i Margie Apa acknowledged the work of the provider networks that have reached deep into communities.
She says the effort won’t stop.
“We don’t go hit the target but miss the point from an equity perspective so we have got just under 3000 Māori to get in to get their dose one, we only hit the target with Pasifika dose one last week and if we know you have that first dose we can follow you up on dose two and then your booster,” Ms Apa says.
The DHB has also received another $5 million from the latest round of pandemic funding, which it will use to create more negative pressure rooms at Middlemore Hospital so it can continue to treat Covid-19 patients without having to leave beds empty in the rest of the ward.