On The Up: Turanga Health delivers flu shots, dental care in winter campaign

During Turanga Health's winter preparedness campaign, Trinity Koha Dental staff worked 6am–6pm days alongside Turanga Health staff to bring much-needed services to hapū māmā and their tamariki, those with chronic health conditions and individuals living with mental health or addiction challenges. Photo / Annalisa Bradley

Tairāwhiti Māori health provider Turanga Health rolled out a two-week practical winter preparedness health campaign that left a big impression on hundreds of local whānau.

Visiting health professionals who came to help were also impressed by the plan, which was carried out in early April.

The plan, which was enacted in Elgin, Manutūkē and Te Karaka, focused on hapū māmā and their tamariki, those with chronic health conditions and individuals living with mental health or addiction challenges.

Over nine days, Turanga Health’s mobile, no-cost health service delivered:

• 560 influenza vaccinations

• 250 dental procedures

• 750 eye exams

• 622 pairs of glasses

• 90 car seats for tamariki

• 28 trailer-loads of firewood

• 112 raised garden bed starter packs

• 26 homes qualifying for subsidised home insulation.

Turanga Health chief executive Reweti Ropiha, in a statement, said the result of the plan was a community better equipped to face winter.

“It’s about common sense and local IQ,” Ropiha said. “We wanted pragmatism, not hundreds of committee meetings to make it happen.”

A team of 34 opticians from eye-care charity OneSight and dentists from Trinity Koha Dental were welcomed into the rohe, working 6am–6pm days alongside Tūranga Health staff.

The specialists were hosted with manaakitanga – warm lunches, dinner, smoko and kete (woven baskets) on departure.

Visitors to the mobile clinics turned up with gifts of rewena bread, and “the fruits of matariki”.

The campaign was funded through Health New Zealand’s Localities Plan, a partnership approach to services between iwi boards, providers and Te Whatu Ora.

“This was being offered right in the backyard of Gisborne,” Ropiha said.

“We turned it on with very little fuss and made it happen.”