Maori-led vaccination clinic unlikely until mid-June

A Ma¯ ori-led Covid-19 vaccination clinic in Christchurch has been approved but will not open for another month, health providers involved say.

Wha¯nau Ora Community Clinics, which operates a medical centre at Ma¯ori social services agency He Waka Tapu, proposed a clinic at the national marae in Aranui, Nga¯ Hua e Wha¯ , about a month ago.

Clinics founder George Ngatai said the group had nine staff ‘‘ready to go’’. ‘‘We could get up and running within three days.’’

An agreement to open the clinic was approved by the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) last week and it would open next month, Ngatai said.

He expected it could vaccinate 150 to 200 people per day and would focus on the Ma¯ ori, Pacific and ‘‘high-needs community in east Christchurch’’.

As of May 6, the CDHB was operating 10 vaccination clinics for border and MIQ workers and their household contacts, frontline healthcare workers and people in communal environments where there was a higher risk of Covid-19 spreading.

The risk of dying from the disease was at least 50 per cent higher for Ma¯ori than people from European backgrounds, according to research published in the New Zealand Medical Journal last year.

Ngatai was unsure why it had taken so long to get the marae clinic up and running but said he was glad they had progressed to the planning stage.

He said they had been asking the CDHB about progressing with planning for the clinic for some time. ‘‘We’ve just waited in line, I suppose, with everyone else.’’

The first Ma¯ori-led vaccination clinic in New Zealand opened on April 8 at Manurewa Marae and Highbrook Vaccination Centre in East Tamaki in March.

Wha¯nau Ora Community Clinics was also involved in discussions about opening a clinic in Wellington.

CDHB Ma¯ ori health advisory group member and Nga¯ i Tu¯ a¯ huriri health committee deputy chair Dr Erihana Ryan said there were concerns the vaccination of Ma¯ ori had not been prioritised.

Research had shown higher rates of vaccination could be achieved at clinics on marae, and having Ma¯ori staff involved. ‘‘. . . Particularly elderly Ma¯ ori need to be in a place they trust.’’

CDHB executive lead for

Covid-19 response Ralph La Salle said equity for the most vulnerable populations was ‘‘foremost in our planning’’.

Health Ministry Covid-19 immunisation programme national director Jo Gibbs said the ministry planned to contract

68 Ma¯ ori health providers to provide vaccinations.

‘‘We’ve just waited in line, I suppose . . .’’ Wha¯ nau Ora Community Clinics founder George Ngatai