The Māori Health Authority has received funding and is set up enough to begin funding health services, the government has announced.
Peeni Henare Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The Health and Associate Health Ministers Andrew Little and Peeni Henare this morning said the interim Māori Health Authority (iMHA) now had a board and chief executive, so it was time to use the $22 million from last year's Budget for iMHA commissioning.
The funding would target areas including:
- $6m to support Māori providers with innovation and sustainability
- $5m to support kaupapa Māori approaches to population health
- $3.2m allocated along with the ministry's Māori Health Directorate to support the establishment of Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards
- $3 million for mātauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge) initiatives and services
- $2 million to expand existing rongoā services
- $2 million to support further development of the Māori workforce
- $1.1 million to support strengthening national collaboration and sharing exemplar projects
Henare said the health system had failed for too long to address disproportionate health outcomes for Māori, and the initial investment would lay the foundations for the authority's ongoing role.
"On average, Māori die seven years younger than other population groups. This situation cannot be allowed to continue," he said.
"This is about putting whānau first and supporting new and different approaches that work for Māori communities."
The MHA is part of the government's 'Pae Ora' (Healthy Futures) health reforms, which would also disestablish the country's 20 DHBs and consolidate them into a single organisation called Health New Zealand.
Health New Zealand, a new Crown organisation, would have four main regional offices, and work in partnership with the Māori Health Authority.
Little said the government was committed to building the new national health system "so all New Zealanders can get the health care they need no matter who they are or where they live".
The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill is before the select committee, and is expected to take effect from 1 July.
Andrew Little Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
