Te Aka Whai Ora giving Māori ‘strong voice’ in health system: TH board chair

Turanga Health chairman Pene Brown strongly approves of the Māori Health Authority which the new Government intends to disband.

The authority, or Te Aka Whai Ora, was designed to give Māori a strong voice in the health system.

Mr Brown, in Turanga Health’s annual report, said many Māori do not like going to the doctor because “our experiences, our parents’ experiences  and our grandparents’ experiences of the health system have been negative.

“Under the system, Māori are in control of their own health with more ability to commission the right care in the right place at the right time.

“More funding is available for kaupapa Māori innovative health services.

“As well as helping improve outcomes for locals, it shores up Turanga Health’s ability to design, develop and implement programmes and train and retain staff.

“There’s long-term certainty for our employees so they can invest in their own futures.”

Mr Brown said Turanga Health, as an iwi health organisation, wanted to front-foot current wellbeing issues and build their own responses.

“We want to incorporate the breadth of our nimble and agile operations for seamless support across all our services.

“As mainstream health services struggle to meet demand, Turanga Health’s take-it-to-the-people initiatives are the way forward.”

Mr Brown thanked the “strong and purposeful leadership” of the board during the flooding of February and June when “staff were flung into an extraordinary situation where the community needed their help”.

“They took ownership for making significant decisions in real time such as visiting whānau while communications were down and helping with the logistics of getting food, warm clothes and healthcare to people who needed it.”

He acknowledged chief executive Reweti Ropiha for his considerate leadership, commitment to developing personal relationships with stakeholders, care and concern for others, and facilitating cooperation among staff.

“We were all so immensely proud when Reweti was recognised in the 2023 New Year’s Honours list, becoming a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Māori health.

“He was also recognised at the Gisborne District Council Civic Awards and nominated, with 100 others, for the 2023 Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero Award.”