Listen Now: 
March 04, 2025
Cultural incompetence harms Māori health outcomes
Atereano Mateariki
Posted On March 4, 2025
Download AudioA rural health expert says cultural incompetence is common and directly impacts Māori health.
Amika Kruger (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tainui, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Maniapoto) took her pēpī, Āria, to the doctor for weeping sores on baby’s cheeks, but it was misdiagnosed as an eczema issue rather than a staph infection, leading to a two-week stay in Whangārei Hospital.
Dr. Kyle Eggleton, Director of the University of Auckland’s Rural Health Unit, says stark health statistic differences between Māori and non-Māori can be explained by the experiences of patients and cultural safety requires lifelong commitment from all health sector workers.
As a former GP in the Hokianga, he prioritizes teaching critical reflection to ensure his students are well-prepared for real-world challenges.
“You can do a course, and you can tick off the course and tick the tick boxes, but unless you actually go out there and do the mahi and, you know, change the way in which you think and understand our history, then you’re not going to really kind of affect any change,” says Eggleton.
RELATED NEWS
