Government ensures extra support for Māori and Pacific Omicron response

Extra support is being made available to Māori 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 Māori 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.

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