Clinical Specialists Presenting At The First COVID-19 Vaccination Marae Hui In Kaikohe

This Saturday, 12 June, members of the public have an opportunity to hear from Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen and Dr Maia Brewerton at the first community COVID-19 vaccination hui in Tai Tokerau.

In partnership with Okorihi Marae, we are hosting an information presentation and question and answer session about the COVID-19 vaccine to ensure whānau can make an informed decision about being vaccinated.

“We recognise the importance of making sure our community have the information they need to make immunisation decisions for themselves and to support their whānau to do the same,” noted Jeanette Wedding, General Manager, Rural, Family and Community.

Kelly Scott-Ritchie joins Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen and Dr Maia Brewerton to provide whānau with the opportunity to seek and receive relevant vaccination information to ensure a complete, informed and prior consent opportunity to protect whānau and whakapapa’ whakamana.

“The internet has a vast amount of good information on various topics but also contains websites of dubious quality,” Jeanette said.

“While many quality websites offer science-based information about vaccine safety, other sites provide unbalanced and misleading information. The challenge is knowing what to believe, so with Rawiri, Maia and Kelly, the whānau will have access to information they can trust.”

Kelly will be sharing messages about handwashing, staying home when unwell, using the tracer app and scanning where you go, getting a COVID-19 test if you have symptoms and coughing into your elbow – all practices that are important to ensure we are protecting ourselves from COVID-19 and to nurture whānau wellbeing.

Community Marae Hui

Where: Okorihi Marae, 34 Te Iringa West Road, Kaikohe

When: 12 June - Pōwhiri 10.30am (arrive by 10.15am)

Media: Stand up interviews available with Kaumātua Te Ihi Tito, Dr Brewerton, Dr Jansen and Kelly Scott-Ritchie at 12.40pm.
Contact Liz Inch, Communications Manager Liz.Inch@northlanddhb.org.nz

Programme

10.30am Powhiri

11.00am Refreshments

11.30am COVID-19 Vaccination Presentation and Question & Answer session – Kelly Scott-Richie, Arahia Maia Brewerton, Dr Rawiri Jansen

12.30am Closing karakia

12.45am Kai

Guest Speaker Biography

Dr Maia Brewerton 

Maia is a specialist in allergy, clinical immunology and immunopathology. Maia is the current lead clinician of the Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at Auckland Hospital. She also heads the immunology laboratory at Waitematā DHB.

Maia enjoys teaching specialists in training at Auckland Hospital and the next generation of doctors at the Auckland University School of Medicine. Maia is the incoming Chairperson of the New Zealand Clinical Immunology and Allergy Group (NZCIAG).

Maia spent several years working in Melbourne before returning to Auckland in 2015 to be closer to her family. Whilst in Melbourne, Maia worked as specialist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and a research doctor in the Gastro and Food Allergy Group at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Maia brings her broad clinical experience to the clinic, she is patient focused and enjoys her work. She takes time to listen, answer questions and develop an individualised treatment plan for each patient she sees.

Maia sees adults and adolescents 12 years or older in the clinic.

Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen, Ngāti Raukawa

Clinical Director, National Hauora Coalition

Rawiri is a GP and co-leader of Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā (National Maori Pandemic Group).

Formerly a resource teacher of Māori language, Rawiri completed his medical training at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland in 2000. It was actually his second attempt at Medical School having interrupted studies to be an activist and protestor (Māori land, Māori language, Nuclear Free Independent Pacific and 1981 Springbok Tour).

He provided clinical teaching, Te Reo and Tikanga Māori programmes for Māori health professionals throughout the country for several years. His is Chairman of Te Ataarangi Trust (a national Maori language organisation), and Chairperson of Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa (Māori Medical Practitioners Association). His focus (besides his practice) is providing clinical leadership towards Māori health equity as a General Practitioner and Clinical Director for a Primary Healthcare Organisation.

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