New Māori-led Covid-19 vaccine clinic opens in Christchurch

Wednesday, 30 June 2021

A Covid-19 vaccination clinic, run by Māori health provider Whānau Ora Clinics, has opened at Christchurch's Ngā hau e Whā National Marae.

Henare Edwards was thinking of his parents when he got his Covid-19 jab.

They were born at the dawn of the 20th century and had spoken to him about the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic.

He was told protocols for tangi were put on hold to stop further spread of the disease, which wiped out many Māori communities.

When Covid-19 cases began growing in March last year, some expressed concerns about the impact of a lockdown on tikanga but Edwards, 71, remembered the actions of his relatives.

“I took the firm opinion that this is not the first time we’ve been able to suspend our tikanga on the marae because in the 1918 flu epidemic our protocols were suspended, and it was purely for the preservation of life.”

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Christchurch kaumatua Henare Edwards, 71, is among the first people to get a Covid-19 vaccination at the Ngā Hau e Whā Marae in Wainoni.

The Christchurch kaumatua said he decided then that he would get vaccinated, if and when a vaccine became available.

On Wednesday, he joined about 60 others to get his first Covid-19 vaccine at Ngā Hau e Whā Marae in Wainoni.

The marae-based clinic would be able to vaccinate up to 300 people a day when it reached full capacity and was one of 24 community vaccination centres in Canterbury.

It adds to the kaupapa Māori mobile vaccination clinics that started at Ngāi Tahu marae and kura throughout Canterbury on May 28.

Whānau Ora Clinic medical director George Ngatai says the Ngā Hau e Whā Marae Covid-19 vaccine clinic will help increase vaccination rates among Māori, but is providing the service for everyone in east Christchurch.

The clinics – a partnership between Ngāi Tahu and the Māori/Indigenous Health Institute, Otago University – have vaccinated more than 1000 people to date.

The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) has started vaccinating people in priority group three, which includes people with pre-existing health conditions and those aged over 65.

CDHB Covid-19 response manager Ralph La Salle said immunocompromised patients (identified by their specialist clinicians), older Māori and Pasifika people and everyone over 75 would be given the highest priority.

After that, people of any age with underlying health conditions, including mental health and disabilities, would be prioritised.

“Finally, we will then be prioritising anyone over 65 who is otherwise healthy, pregnant women, and people with sensory disabilities who don’t fall under any of the categories already mentioned.”

Whānau Ora Clinic founder George Ngati and his team set up the first marae-based vaccination clinic in Manuwera, South Auckland in March and were responsible for establishing a testing station at Ngā Hau e Whā Marae, in partnership with He Waka Tapu, last year.

CDHB data showed 8.4 per cent of the Māori population enrolled with a GP (about 32,000 people) had been vaccinated as of last week, compared to 11.3 per cent of the European and other population, 11.4 per cent of Pasifika and 11.9 per cent of the Asian population.

Ngatai said Māori participation at Covid-19 testing stations and vaccination clinics was high where facilities were run by Māori organisations.

“We want to … make people, vulnerable communities, predominantly Māori, feel comfortable in environments that they come to regularly and the marae is one of those places.”

Ngātai said the service would operate under a Whānau Ora basis, providing wraparound support services including social work and counselling support to those who needed it.

Henry Weerden-Sweet, 22, said he was relieved to get his first Covid-19 jab as he had asthma and a chronic lung condition.

“Because of my daily struggles with my chest problem I just feel like something like that (Covid-19) wouldn’t be good, it could really do me damage. I’m very relieved.”

Redcliffs woman Sharyn Anderson, 74, said she went to the clinic on Tuesday to see if it had any leftover doses.

She wanted to get vaccinated before travelling to Australia next month and had not received a notification to book an appointment.

No spares were available, but a staff member took her details. She was offered a dose on Wednesday.

“Apparently lots of people have been getting leftovers, and it’s better than wasting it, isn’t it.”