Extra support is being made available to Maori and Pacific communities as they continue to face the impact of the current Omicron outbreak.

This is in addition to the Care in the Community boost the Government announced last week to help all families who need to self-isolate as well as the social service organisations and community providers working hard to support them.

“We know Omicron is likely to disproportionately affect Maori and Pasifika communities and the Government is committed to making sure vulnerable whanau received the support and care they deserve,” Minister for Whanau Ora and Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare said.

“With Omicron cases increasing it is important whānau have the support they need to self-isolate and stop the spread of the virus.

Using the $140 million funding, 160 Māori and Pacific health providers will together support Māori and Pacific households throughout Aotearoa.

“We know our funding to date has made a huge difference in lifting vaccination rates and reducing the vulnerability of whānau, but the fight is not over yet and Omicron presents a whole raft of new challenges,” Peeni Henare said.

“The focus of this current response is to enable Māori health providers to scale up their efforts, to support the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies to directly get resources to the people most in need, and for the Māori Communities COVID Fund to support community agencies in complementary ways.

“We have seen how the rapid response by our Māori health and community providers works fast and effectively. Their models of care have been crucial in the government’s COVID-19 response for their own communities.

Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson said Māori providers have shown their strength and agility when dealing with previous outbreaks.

“This investment will enable them to deliver immediate, flexible, holistic support where it’s needed most.

“We saw that in action when Māori vaccination rates increased from 69% to 90% for first dose in just 3.5 months. The Māori Communities COVID-19 Fund going directly to Māori providers, including iwi, supported this acceleration,” Willie Jackson said.

Minister for Māori Crown Relations Kelvin Davis said that since the COVID-19 outbreak the Government has acted to ensure New Zealanders are supported to respond to the threats on our people and economy.

“A key strategy for accelerating vaccinations has been to support the aunties, uncles and community leaders who are known, trusted, and listened to within their communities. We need to continue approaches that best look after our people, so they are prepared in the face of Omicron,” Kelvin Davis said.

Minister for Pacific Peoples and Associate Minister of Health, Aupito William Sio says the investment will help Pacific health providers, particularly those outside the northern region, scale up the services they already provide to Pacific communities.

“Funding will go towards supporting their workforce resources including vaccination. I want to encourage innovative Pacific models of care with a focus on the immediate Omicron response. I want to communicate key public health messages in culturally appropriate ways,” Aupito William Sio said.

“The Pacific Aotearoa Communities Outreach initiative prioritises key initiatives that have proven successful in Pacific communities.”

“This investment is innovative, comprehensive, and Pacific-focused, allowing Pacific Peoples to prepare for the next phase of COVID-19 and to respond and rebuild in the aftermath of Omicron,” Aupito William Sio said

The four funding pathways that make up the $140 million are:

1. Almost $40 million to Māori and Pacific health providers to enable them to scale up their services.

2. $40.6 million to Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies to enable wraparound and holistic support for whānau to ensure they have a plan for Omicron, can get tested and know how to access Care in the Community support if needed.

3. $40.05 million to build on the Māori Communities COVID-19 Fund (MCCF), administered by Te Puni Kōkiri with Te Arawhiti, to enable communities (particularly iwi) to mobilise their own approaches and build resilience.

Plus $1.75 million for the Karawhiua Māori vaccination campaign informing Māori communities about COVID-19, launched by Te Puni Kōkiri, and supported by the Ministry of Health and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

4. $18 million funding for Pacific Aotearoa Community Outreach Initiative (PACO), led by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, to support Pacific communities to prepare, respond and recover from the social and health impacts from Omicron.

The four funding pathways announced aim to support the Care in the Community response to COVID-19 by facilitating access and connecting whānau to the health and welfare services and providing continuity of care.

The Care in the Community (CIC) health and welfare approach is pivoting to provide health and welfare support to people and households with the highest needs. This includes people and households with COVID-19 or who are directed to self-isolate. The CIC response includes a self-service portal, and additional welfare supports.

The Māori Communities COVID-19 Fund will build on its existing mahi to provide direct funding to Māori health providers in regions and will extend existing contracts or arrangements where possible.

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