Waipareira and Pharmac sign MoA
Urban Māori authority Waipareira and New Zealand Government agency Pharmac signed a Memorandum of Agreement today that
will support Waipareira’s community campaign to lower the cost of health care.
This the 10th agreement Pharmac has signed.
Waipareira CE John Tamihere said this MoA was important as Waipareira advocates for more affordable health care.
“We want to drop the cost of health care for our people and Pharmac will help us do that,” John said.
“We have 34,000 Maori out west and most will be on our books in one way or another. It will mean dropping the costs of
access to pharmacies and lifting the services.”
John said Pharmac and pharmaceuticals are part of the health jigsaw puzzle.
“We have Memorandum of Understandings’ with a number of organisations and its about pulling it everyone together,” John
said.
With Māori more likely not to pick up a prescription from the pharmacies, Pharmac sees this new relationship as vital.
Steffan Crausaz, Pharmac CE, said the MoA with Waipareira was a first step for Pharmac.
“We enter this MoA with the right spirit,” he said.
“From Pharmac point of view, this is the start of a longstanding relationship and will take this where Waipareira needs
to take this. We are looking forward to getting some power behind this relationship and making some difference.”
ENDS