New online tool puts the focus on Māori men’s health
Mana Tāne Ora o Aotearoa, the National Māori Men’s Health Coalition, will launch the Tāne Ora Health Indicator tool in
Wellington tonight.
Chair Riki Nia Nia says, “Improving Māori men’s health is our country’s greatest opportunity”.
Māori men have the lowest life expectancy, and many instances the poorest standard of health of any population group in
Aotearoa.
“The Māori Men’s Health Indicator tool identifies key priority areas that we need to focus on if Māori men are to be
enabled to fulfill their potential as the best fathers, brothers, sons, husbands and leaders at home, at school, at work
and in the community,” he says.
The Tāne Ora tool has identified the six primary health & wellbeing indicators: heart disease, diabetes, smoking, mental health, education (18 year olds with NCEA Level 2 or
higher) and the number of young Māori men not in employment, education or training (NEETs).
Mr Nia Nia says the Māori Men’s Health Indicators tool recognises the significance of social determinants that typically
sit outside the health sector.
“For example to improve the educational achievements of young Māori men would positively impact the wellbeing of Māori
men and their whānau.”
Mana Tāne Ora hopes that the new tool will result in more deliberate and intentional strategic discussions on Māori
men’s health by decision-makers in our country and will positively influence and target more meaningful and effective
investment.
“The system needs to start seeing Māori men as our greatest opportunity not our biggest risk. It needs to start
investing in the enormous potential out Māori men have and need to look at how we can create rapid change to surface
this investment.
“We can all do better and if we do the whole country will benefit. The statistics show we do not have the luxury of
continuing to do the same thing over and over again, its almost as bad as doing nothing,” says Mr Nia Nia.
The Māori Men’s Health Indicator tool is available at www.taneora.co.nz
ENDS