Kaupapa Māori CBACs in Te Puke to continue into June

Dr Mathieu Letourneau and Leah Dixon make an assessment at Pahi Tahi mobile Covid-19 assessment service at Ngati Moko Marae last week.

We've all learned plenty of new terminology over the past couple of months - words and acronyms that were virtually unknown to many of us are now in common use.

CBAC - or Community Based Assessment Centre - is just one of them.

A CBAC was held at Ngāti Moko Marae last week - one of a series being held across the Western Bay of Plenty that will continue into June.

The mobile unit, Pahi Tahi was at the marae. Pahi Tahi is a partnership between a collective of Māori organisations across the Bay of Plenty, Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BOPDHB) and three Primary Health Organisations.

The visit to Ngāti Moko Marae was in partnership with Ngā Kākano Foundation and Tapuika Iwi.

As well as testing for the virus, as well as give you more information about resources and support people can access.

Roimata Timutimu of BOPDHB's Toi Oranga Tikanga Māori Health Gains and Development unit says 27 people were seen and 16 tests were undertaken.

''There are two main streams to Pahi Tahi,'' she says, ''Covid-19 assessment and also kaupapa Māori wrap around services, so we are asking, 'what do you need? Are you struggling? Do you need food? Do you need to be reconnected with your GP? So we have someone on the bus that talks about that and tries to link them up.

''It is a service for our most vulnerable populations - Māori and those who live in high deprivation areas and we know the eastern part of the Western Bay there is a high proportion of whānau that are struggling - it is targeted towards them and delivered in a kaupapa Māori way, but it's there for anybody who turns up.''

The service is being provided at various locations in conjunction with each areas iwi or hapū and local health providers.

In the wider Te Puke area Pahi Tahi will be at Maketū Fisherman's Club today and June 4, Ōtamarākau Marae tomorrow, back at Ngāti Moko Marae on May 26 and Pukehina Marae on June 5. Each CBAC will be from 10am-2pm.

It is a drive through service.