Māori health boss Riana Manuel calls meeting with Health Minister Shane Reti ‘encouraging’

Minister of Health Shane Reti. Photo / File pic.

Māori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora chief executive Riana Manuel has been encouraged by her initial meetings with the Minister of Health, Shane Reti.

Manuel says as a former Northland general practitioner Reti knows what grassroots looks like for Māori, and he’s keen to continue with the iwi-Māori partnership boards which have been a big part of the Māori Health Authority’s mahi in its first year.

Manuel said Reti has made it clear Te Aka Whai Ora will be disestablished, but has promised to focus on need.

“I’m so encouraged by Minister Reti and Minister [Matt] Doocey’s commitment to Māori health, particularly with Māori mental health, and those core things we have been working on, our immunisation programme, and we’re looking forward to supporting that kind of commitment going forward because the work doesn’t stop,” Manuel told Waatea.News.Com.

Riana Manuel has been appointed chief executive of the Māori Health Authority. Photo / Supplied

The Iwi Māori partnership boards should help government engage iwi, hapū and whānau social services in tackling health problems, she said.

Reti told the Herald he wants to devolve health decisions and funding even closer to the community.

The former Northland GP said his main aim for Māori is to lift the poor health metrics to the same level as non-Māori.

“The dream I have for Māori is to lift pretty much every health metric we have to the level we have for non-Māori,” he said in an interview last week.

“To do that we have to move decision-making and funding as close to the home, as close to the hapū as possible. The difference in philosophy on where we want to go and where the Māori Health Authority was going was why was all that funding held in Wellington with a Wellington-knows-best approach?

“I think the hapū probably know what’s best for their communities.

“My dream is to devolve decision making and funding and give to mana motuhake [self-determination], as close to the home and hapū as possible.”

Additional reporting Waatea.News.Com