“The health system has failed Māori, and we need to move to a ‘to Māori, by Māori, for Māori’ approach. The Covid-19 vaccination approach is very a good example of how Māori pivoted to delivered health services to Māori and non-Māori better than any other organisation.”
Māori providers administered over one million Covid vaccines.
Te Pāti Māori also believes Whānau Ora is the key to improving Māori health and wellbeing - as evidenced in multiple reports - and health funding should be part of a cross sectorial investment approach.
One key policy is that GP care for whānau earning under $60,000 must be free.
“The cost of kai has increased. The cost of petrol has increased. The cost of rent and mortgages has increased. Whānau have no money left to pay for basic healthcare,” the party’s health manifesto says.
“Our hospital services and ambulances are not coping. We need to invest more in preventative care and primary care to take the pressure off the secondary care system.
“This policy will support over three million people in Aotearoa have access to free primary healthcare.”
The same goes for dental care.
“Dental care will be free for whānau earning less than $60,000.”
Joseph Los’e joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter and news director at the Sunday News newspaper covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and prior to joining NZME worked for 12 years for Whānau Waipareira.
