December 19, 2023
Māori admission scheme end not a done deal
Health Minister Shane Reti says a review of the Māori and Pacific admissions schemes run by the country’s medical schools will be about making sure they’re fit for purpose rather than shutting them down.
The ACT Party wants to scrap what it’s calling race-based initiatives, but Dr Reti says that’s not what National campaigned on.
He has a different perspective on MAPAS schemes.
“I am a product of that and I know a number of my colleagues both in my year group and outside my year group who have gone on and contributed mightily to New Zealand, but I won’t preempt the review – let’s see what is shows,” Dr Reti says
Other health programmes will also be looked at, as well as what he believes was an over-centralisation of decision making and funding to Wellington.
MAPAS, was established in 1972 to train more Māori and Pasifka doctors, who are historically underrepresented in the workforce.
Now, as part of ACT’s vow to end “race-based policies”, MAPAS and its Otago equivalent are set to undergo review, raising concerns among medical professionals that they may be scrapped.
NOTE – I couldn’t catch names of other programs he mentions at 1.18.