November 07, 2019
Maori health initiative offered at Mana Kuratahi
A Waikato Māori health leader says an initiative to offer measles vaccinations at the national primary schools kapa haka competitions in Hamilton is a great initiative.
Lady Tūreiti Moxon says her Te Kōhau Health is there alongside the district health board and other providers, trying to catch tamariki who have not received all their measles and mumps vaccinations.
Waikato has already had 34 confirmed cases of measles as the outbreak overflows from Auckland, and in the past week there have been three cases of mumps.
She says many Māori are hesitant to go to the doctor because of the cost or past negative experiences, so providers need to change the way they think about access – including going where the people are.
"We have to think about things much innovatively, being more community minded rather they come to the hospital, they come to the doctor, everybody comes to the clinician whereas in actual fact what we should be doing is being seen as part of the community and this is an ordinary, everyday thing," Lady Moxon says.
She remembers when every child was immunised through the schools.
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