By Pokere Paewai for RNZ Researchers are working alongside Māori and Pasifika communities in Waikato and Counties Manukau to boost falling childhood immunisation rates. They will be evaluating what support and delivery is needed to immunise Māori and Pasifika aged under 5 from infectious diseases. The project will also explore how to lift immunisation rates among pregnant mothers and those with disabilities.
The research programme is commissioned by Te Niwha, an infectious diseases research platform, and led by Te Rau Ora chief executive Riki Nia Nia (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Tonga). Nia Nia said the study focused on Counties Manukau and Waikato as childhood immunisation rates among Māori living there were below 50% of the eligible population and the regions were home to Aotearoa’s highest Māori and Pasifika communities. Fewer than 42% of 6-month-old Māori pēpi in Counties Manukau were fully vaccinated and less than 38% in Waikato, he said.
“The rates for tamariki Māori in the immunisation space have dropped significantly and this is an opportunity for us to see what are some of the reasons for that, what are some of the issues, some of the barriers, get a better understanding in particular from our whānau and kaupapa partners who work in this space.” Immunisation rates for tamariki Māori had dropped significantly post-Covid - but despite that, Nia Nia said Covid was a good example of some of the things that worked for Māori. “One of the .