 With more whānau choosing Turanga Health’s Well Child Tamariki Ora service we’re making a significant impact on lifelong and intergenerational wellbeing for Māori, says chief executive Reweti Ropiha.
Turanga Health’s 2024 annual report Reke Tū released this month reveals that the iwi health service now looks after the wellbeing of over half of the districts under five-year-olds. In the 12 months to June 2024, 1,496 babies and under five-year-olds were enrolled in Turanga Health’s Well Child Tamariki Ora programme, 275 more than last year. Eighty-five percent of clients identified as Māori, and 4.5 percent identify as Pasifika. “Conventional evidence clearly supports investing in the first 2,000 days to give every child the strongest start in life,” says Mr Ropiha. Mr Ropiha presented Reke Tū at Turanga Health’s annual general meeting yesterday presided over by representatives from Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui-a-Kiwa [Wednesday 13 November]. Reke Tū tells the story of a hectic 12 months of health sector change during which time Turanga Health continued its work in the community. “We got into sprint mode and weren’t pre-occupied by what was going on around us,” says Mr Ropiha, referencing changes in government, local representation, and the health sector. “We asked our kaimahi to dig deep and lean into the relationships that remained. It was a time to focus on what we do best and not be distracted by events unfolding behind the scenes.” Reke Tū reveals that in one single 60-day period Turanga Health: • hosted the New Zealand Secondary Schools Kī-o-Rahi National Tournament • supported the opening of Mātai Medical Research Institute • hosted the Ngārimu Scholarship awards • looked after 190 registered Pasifika whānau • hosted vaccination events nine weekends in a row • expanded its vaccination footprint into Ruatoria and Māhia • published national research on its Covid-19 response, and • continued business as usual for its 3000 registered whānau. Turanga Health board chair Pene Brown says while some organisations within New Zealand’s primary health sector including general practices are struggling and turning away patients, Turanga Health staff continue to step in and look after people. Turanga Health has 107 staff including a GP, 20 nurses including a nurse practitioner and two community nurse prescribers, and 12 kaiāwhina vaccinators. It runs a general practice in Te Karaka with 1,728 enrolled patients. In other annual report results, staff vaccinated 972 people against influenza in just three months; helped 77 wahine catch up on cervical, breast, and bowel cancer screening; helped 23 whānau quit smoking; carried out hundreds of staff health checks at 23 primary industry workplaces; and hosted an average of 155 kaumātua at each monthly Kaumātua Programme. Turanga Health staff also hosted hundreds of fitness sessions for communities and school children, created cooperative schemes so families could grow their own food and save for essential items, and continued to be the main primary care contact for the region’s RSE workforce. “There is no doubt that by working in its own backyard Turanga Health is essential for helping iwi enjoy sound good health throughout life. From individual, to whānau, to hapū, to iwi, Turanga Health is making a difference,” says Mr Brown. Annual Report
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