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February 23, 2022
Māori Covid-19 funding timely endorsement
Adam Gifford
Posted On February 23, 2022
Download AudioTe Whānau o Waipareira head John Tamihere says the direct funding of the Māori and Pasifika Covid response is a major step forward.
Māori Ministers yesterday announced a $140 million package for 160 health providers, including $40 million to scale up services, $40 million to the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies to pay for wraparound support for whānau affected by Omicron, and $40 million to the Māori Communities Covid-19 Fund to help communities mobilise their own approaches and build resilience.
Mr Tamihere says it’s an acknowledgement of how effective the Māori and Pacific response has been compared with mainstream agencies.
“I felt as if we were for the very first time starting to arrive at a place where we are now being backed by a government solely because they know how good we are at what we do. We don’t need to be co-dependent on multiple government departments and agencies run by non-Māori,” he says.
Mr Tamihere says vaccine mandates have been brutal but necessary, and it’s important people hold their nerve until the Omicron wave has passed.
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