The Minister for Pacific Peoples doesn’t dispute there are “gaps in the system” when it comes to serving Pasifika in the pandemic. But, he says the Government is trying to improve.
When asked whether the Government had failed to connect with the Pacific community, who make up 70 per cent of Covid-19 cases in the latest Delta outbreak, Aupito William Sio told Breakfast “I don’t think there is [a failure]. We’re dealing with a virus.”
His comments follow criticism from numerous Pacific leaders, including from within Labour. Party member and Auckland Councillor Efeso Collins on Wednesday criticised the Government for failing to include Pasifika in the planning and design stages of the response to the Delta variant of Covid-19 until it was too late.
Auckland Councillor Efeso Collins and community leader Manase Lua say Pasifika need to be at the decision-making table. (Source: Other)
Meanwhile, other Pacific health providers have accused the Government of ignoring their advice for months . They say that has meant vaccination rates among Pasifika are one of the lowest by ethnicity in the country.
Sio said whenever there was an outbreak, his ministry brought together Pasifika leaders and the Ministry of Health.
“That was about building confidence, providing good information, empowering leadership across the motu of Aotearoa. We’ve continued to follow those meetings online.”
He said these meetings happened across multiple regions, and that there were also language-specific meetings.
Sio said vaccination was also “ramping up” across the Auckland region.
In the longer-term, the Government was undergoing its wider health sector reform . Among those changes include phasing out DHBs, Sio said.
From area health boards in the 1980's, through to crown health enterprises, or CHEs in the 1990s, then it was 'not for profit' crown owned companies and finally the now out-going DHBs. (Source: Other)
“There’s no system that’s 100 per cent, “ he said of the current health system.
“One of the reasons that’s driving our health reform is about looking at inequities … the health reform is about addressing the failings of that system.
“In the meantime, we’re focusing on getting people tested.”
That testing is being led by community organisations and churches, which was why Covid-19 testing rates among Pasifika were high, Sio said.
There was also a focus on increasing vaccination among Pasifika, he said.
Sio said because it was voluntary “that takes time”.
“We’re not just relying on messages being delivered on TV or on social media, that’s why those face to face Zoom meetings online during this period are very important. And I’ll continue to hold them,” he said.
“I don’t dispute at all there are gaps in the system. But, we’re learning as we go.”
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