Push for Ma¯ori, Pasifika midwives
The number of Ma¯ori and Pasifika midwives will increase. Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced the initiative at the Auckland University of Technology campus yesterday.
The initiative is said to combat the serious shortage of such midwives, address racial inequities, and to provide cultural understanding and safety for Ma¯ori and Pasifika mothers.
Less than 10 per cent of midwives identify as Ma¯ori as their first, second, or third ethnicity, and less than 3 per cent as Pasifika. The population of women giving birth is 20 per cent Ma¯ori and 10 per cent Pasifika, rising to 27 per cent in South Auckland.
There are five midwifery education providers who will together support the success of Ma¯ori and Pasifika students who are set to reflect the under-represented communities.
The ministry has provided $6 million over the next four years for a liaison person at each institution to provide wraparound care, academic support and to actively recruit Ma¯ori and Pasifika.
A discretionary hardship fund for students in need will also be available to assist working mothers.
Te Ara o¯ Hine for Ma¯ori and Tapu Ora for Pasifika will be developed by Ma¯ori and Pacific midwifery educators, students, new graduates and stakeholders from Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, Otago Polytechnic, Ara Institute of Canterbury (Ara) and Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec).
An additional $370,000, which was contributed in 2019 for Pacific midwifery and nursing undergraduate support, will also go towards Te Ara o¯ Hine and Tapu Ora.
AUT fourth-year midwifery student Rose Leauga (Kuki Airani) says she is excited by a Pasifikafocused health model that specifically resonates with Pasifika people, steering away from the Western lens.
“At the beginning [of the course], there wasn’t any course content specific to how we absorbed information. It was very Westernised.
“When I did the Ma¯ori paper, that felt more comfortable. I think it’s because our cultures learn different . . . through oral traditions.”
Shannon Paahi, AUT second-year midwifery student, says birthing experiences for Ma¯ori aren’t always ideal. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to utilise our traditional practices more.”
National Pacific lead Ngatepaeru Marsters told the Herald her work as a midwife in South Auckland made her willing to see change in what was taught to midwifery students.
“You have to have the ability to not be judgmental,” she said. “These families don’t plan to be in rough situations or to have lack of resources.”
National Ma¯ori lead Teresa Krishnan says the aim is to triple the number of Ma¯ori and quadruple the number of Pasifika undergraduate midwifery students year on year for five years.