.png)
Gisborne, East Coast, September 2, 2016 – This week a new report commissioned by Ngati Porou Hauora was released at a hui at Te Puia Hospital on the East Coast. The report titled the “Ngati Porou Hauora Health Dashboard” reveals some startling information about the health status of the resident population within the rohe of Ngati Porou. It chronicles the perilous state of health for those living between Hicks Bay in the north and Kaiti in Gisborne.
The Chairman of Ngati Porou Hauora, Teepa Wawatai said, “This is sad because these are my people, our whanau.”
“In summary, what it says is that we are a high needs, rural population who die younger than any other population group in NZ and suffer more through co-morbidity factors on the way to that early death.”
“That is unacceptable and it is an indictment on health policy and funding particularly in areas of high need. The data says that this is the highest need area in the country with the worst health outcomes.”
The Dashboard report shows that Ngati Porou rohe has the highest level of premature mortality in New Zealand (66% above the national level and 17% above Tairawhiti). It also shows that 91% of Ngati Porou rohe population lives in very deprived areas (NZ Deprivation deciles 9 and 10) compared to 52% of Tairawhiti DHB, and 20% of NZ.
The occasion was a gathering of Ngati Porou pakeke (elders) from across the rohe who had come to hear an update on the status of Ngati Porou Hauora. The Chairman announced the release of the report which was researched and written by Lee Tan who has been in the planning and funding team at Capital & Coast DHB for over 10 years.
Mr. Wawatai said that this report is unique because for the first time, through Lee Tan’s work sponsored by the Ministry of Health, we have separated the information pertaining to those living on the East Coast from those living in the rest of the Tairawhiti district covered by the DHB including the greater part of Gisborne city and its environs.
“This presents a profile for the population in the Ngati Porou rohe,” said Mr. Wawatai, and the results are not surprising but alarming never-the-less.”
The large gathering of pakeke were saddened by the parlous state of health revealed in the report but were appreciative of the discussion on the way forward for Ngati Porou including viewing concept drawings for a potential new facility at Te Puia. There was also discussion on a Ngati Porou led approach to designing and delivering new models and ways to support whanau to live longer and live better. The general view of the pakeke group was that change was needed in the way forward.
Click below to view the Ngati Porou Hauora Health Dashboard Report:
