The Northland, Waitematā, Auckland and Counties Manukau DHBs have launched a daily COVID-19 Q&A for Māori communities, broadcast on Māori Television’s Facebook page.

‘The Whaanau Guide for COVID-19’ launched on Sunday 29 March 2020 and will be broadcast daily at 4pm. The Sunday episode is available here.

Produced by Mahi Tahi Media and presented by Te Arahi Maipi, each show features a panel of health, social sector, and welfare experts to answer viewer’s questions and provide advice to help Māori respond to the pandemic.

Viewers are able to post questions on Facebook that will be answered by the panel.

On Tuesday 31 March the panel includes:

• Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish, Ngāti Whātua

Chief Advisor Tikanga, Auckland and Waitematā DHBs

• Dr Rawiri Jansen, Ngāti Raukawa

Clinical Director, National Hauora Coalition

Northern Region Health Coordination Centre Lead (and Waitematā DHB CEO) Dr Dale Bramley said the show was part of a larger programme of work by the four DHBs to support Māori communities in Northland and Auckland.

“Our Māori communities contain many people we know will be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. We are working closely with Iwi, Hapu, and Māori providers in the health and social sectors to understand the needs of their whānau and then to be able to respond to those needs.

“We are particularly grateful for the huge amount of activity already being undertaken by local iwi and Māori providers and we will seek to support them the best way we can in the weeks ahead.

“For example, today the first COVID-19 Community Testing Centre with a Māori kaupapa went into operation at the Waipareira Trust in West Auckland. These centres provide safe testing for people referred either by their local doctor or by Healthline.”

The Northland and Auckland DHBs are operating a regional response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre (NRHCC). As part of the NRHCC, a regional Māori Response Team has been established by the DHBs’ Māori Health leadership to meet the needs of Māori communities during the pandemic.

‘The Whaanau Guide for COVID-19’ is funded by the Northland, Waitematā, Auckland and Counties Manukau DHBs.

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