Healthcare Crisis Drives Cross-Country Protest: Hīkoi For Health Set To Begin

In an exciting blend of art and advocacy, the Hīkoi for Health: A People’s Inquiry is set to kick off in just over a week! This significant reform initiative has been spearheaded by award-winning doctor-poets Glenn Colquhoun, a GP focused on youth health, and Art Nahill, a general hospital physician. Collaborating with renowned New Zealand artist Nigel Brown, they have transformed a second-hand van into eye-catching mobile artwork—a unique ambulance that will serve as a catalyst for change.

Those interested in supporting their efforts can find their latest itinerary on their website healthrefornz.org or on social media #hikoiforhealth.

The Hīkoi will journey from Kaitaia in Northland to Parliament, collecting healthcare stories and ideas for reform from communities along its route. This initiative arises from Colquhoun and Nahill's deep concerns about New Zealand’s failing health system, which has been neglected by successive governments and has experienced unprecedented pressure on emergency departments, growing waiting lists, and difficulty accessing GP care.

As Nahill states, "This journey is not merely a protest but an opportunity to foster positive momentum for the reform our health system requires. We can’t wait for governments to 'see the light' — we need to shine our passion and ideas so brightly they can’t turn away."

Colquhoun emphasizes, "Our health system has a mauri—a life force. Protecting this is at the heart of health. I'm angry that it seems so utterly unappreciated by those who are charged with looking after it. I’m compelled to preserve this mauri."

Nigel Brown's distinctive artwork envelops the ambulance with imagery that captures the urgency of the current healthcare landscape. "This van work is designed to be both joy and gloom, allowing audiences to relate it to their personal experiences," explains Brown.

Equipped with a recording studio inside, the ambulance will engage communities in critical dialogues about the future of healthcare in Aotearoa. These conversations aim for fundamental reform—a health system equitable to all New Zealanders, free from political squabbling.

As the ambulance travels through various cities and towns in the North Island, it will initiate vital discussions and gather stories, culminating in a presentation at Parliament grounds on May 8th.

Background Information:

• The Hīkoi for Health will commence shortly and conclude at Parliament in May.
• Communities can register to share their healthcare stories at: healthreformnz.org
• New Zealand's healthcare system faces unprecedented challenges, with growing waiting lists and emergency department pressures.
• Nigel Brown is one of New Zealand's most respected artists, known for engaging with social and environmental issues.

About the Organisers:
Art Nahill is a Harvard-trained physician and award-winning clinical teacher and poet whose career spans nearly thirty years. A former correspondent for the Boston Globe, he has published numerous articles advocating for healthcare reform in New Zealand.

Glenn Colquhoun is a poet and children’s writer whose works have received multiple awards. He is a dedicated GP working in youth health, and his writing explores the intersections of medicine and humanity.

Website: healthreformnz.org

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