Collective seeks funds to aid women in need

The Palmerston North women’s health service trusted by hundreds of Ma¯ori, low-income and vulnerable women each year is desperately struggling to stay open.

Te Ha¯ o Hine-ahu-one, the women’s health collective, lost its $90,000 sexual health contract with the Midcentral District Health Board last year, despite appeals from supporters including Mayor Grant Smith.

It has stayed afloat only through a series of community fundraising efforts, including an art auction at Te Manawa that raised $25,000.

But without funding, its small cervical screening contract and recently acquired smoking cessation programme were at risk of closing down.

Collective manager Jean Hera said the need for the group’s services was growing, and she was asking newly elected health board members to revive the contract.

She was bewildered that the board did not see the service as a vital lifeline for women and a way for the board to work toward its ideals of ensuring Ma¯ori and vulnerable groups got a fair deal in accessing health services.

Board chairman Brendon Duffy has turned down her request to speak at Tuesday’s board meeting and said the board would not reconsider last year’s decision.

He said the board table was not the right place to have the conversation, and directed her to talk with board management about whether the collective’s work could be included in the board’s annual plan and budget. ‘‘The board’s endorsement of the withdrawal of funding from Te Ha¯ o Hine-ahu-one was a difficult decision as you know. However, the board is not going to reconsider that decision.’’

Hera said she still planned to attend the board meeting and ask for leave to speak about the 2020/21 plan.

She said when the board decided to axe the contract last year, it referred to a sexual health review document.

Hera had to officially ask for that review to be released, and could find nothing in it that justified the decision.

A survey of recent clients showed for the first time that Ma¯ori outnumbered Pa¯keha¯ in seeking help from the collective.

She said many of the women preferred to come to the collective rather than Ma¯ori health providers because they felt it was safe, private and nonjudgmental.

Many could not get a timely GP appointment even if they had one.

Hera said the board seemed to want to direct everyone to primary healthcare practices, but finding a doctor and getting an appointment had never been harder. ‘‘It does not suit those whose lives are chaotic and often lacking in basic resources such as transport, confidence and money in hand.’’

The collective offered a free, drop-in service that was safe, provided support for women in crisis.

‘‘It [GP appointmens] does not suit those whose lives are chaotic and often lacking in basic resources . . .’’

Te Ha¯ o Hine-ahu-one manager Jean Hera