Dr Rawiri Jansen: No Māori age priority in Covid-19 vaccine rollout a 'complete failure'

Dr Rawiri Jansen believes New Zealand's vaccine rollout has failed Māori by not implementing appropriate priority groups for whānau. Photo / File

National Māori Pandemic Group member Dr Rawiri Jansen considers it an overwhelming failure on his part and the Government's that the vaccine rollout does not prioritise Māori below 65 years of age.

Members of the pandemic group, also named Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā, have previously criticised the Government for treating Māori as an afterthought in its Covid-19 response.

In January, Jansen - also a GP - voiced expectations that Māori under 65 years of age would be included in the vaccine priority groups, given the poor health outcomes experienced by Māori at an earlier age than Pākehā.

While the rollout's second vaccination priority group included older Māori and Pacific people cared for by their whānau and the carers themselves, there is no mention of the priority group Jansen expected - much to his frustration.

"It gives me an overwhelming sense of failure," he said.

"It's going to lead to a grossly inequitable vaccination programme because we didn't follow the science, the proof of that will take some time."

Jansen accepted some responsibility for the rollout flaw given his position on the National Māori Pandemic group. Photo / File

Jansen, of Ngāti Raukawa, predicted Māori would be at more risk of dying if the virus mutated and older whānau were not appropriately vaccinated.

Jansen also took aim at the Government for what he claimed was a decision based on optics rather than science.

"I think the political decision was influenced by non-health, non-science actors.

"We should not be running this based on a communications expert's view of acceptability, that's a complete failure of leadership in my view."

He urged the likes of director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield to review the rollout's priority groups to include at-risk Māori.

Te Ropu Smith is the chief executive of the Māori health provider Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi in Kaikohe, Northland - where up to 80 per cent of the population is Māori.

Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi chief executive Te Ropu Smith. Photo / Supplied

She agreed with Jansen's expectation that Māori over the age of 45 should be given vaccine priority and noted such measures addressing Māori health were being considered after the fact.

"It's too much of an afterthought," she said.

A Ministry of Health spokesperson said people who were at risk of getting very sick from Covid-19 - many of whom were Māori - would start to receive the vaccine from next month.

The spokesperson outlined the $39 million investment for the Māori Covid-19 vaccine and immunisation approach, the majority of which would be spent developing vaccine support services to ensure whānau could easily navigate and access vaccination services.

Meanwhile, Jansen expressed his confidence in New Zealand's vaccinator workforce, lauding a national programme that will train community health workers to administer vaccinations

Jansen believed the programme, which was expected to produce qualified vaccinators in a month, would allow the Government to meet its vaccination targets.

"This workforce contribution will arrive at the right time that we can really ramp up."

Vaccinologist Helen Petousis-Harris supported Jansen's view, but emphasised the importance of replacing any repositioned community health workers.

"You don't want to impact on business as usual."