An open letter from the Cancer Society and other NGOs has been sent to the National and Act parties asking them to reconsider their stance on scrapping the Māori Health Authority.
Both National leader Christopher Luxon and Act leader David Seymour have railed against the formation of the Māori Health authority and say, if they win next year’s election, will scrap the Māori Health Authority.
The letter says Māori leaders support the formation and development of the Māori Health Authority and the help it would provide is essential to the Te Tiriti o Waitangi in ensuring that everyone will benefit from good health outcomes.
More signatories are joining the open letter and are joining organisations such as the Gynaecological Health Foundation, Lung Foundation, Hāpai te Hauora, Kidney Health NZ, Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition, Hei Āhuru Mōwai, Stroke Foundation NZ, and Support Crew Hei Whare Awhina.
The majority of the support for the letter has come from non-Māori health providing organisations.
Cancer Society Medical Director Dr George Laking talked to Te Ao Tapatahi about the challenge to fix up the equity problem that Māori since having such poor health outcomes.
“This is central to the purpose of the Cancer Society because we are about the health of people with cancer and health is so much worse for Māori people with cancer. So this is why we are so interested in the Māori Health Authority and what it can do for Māori with cancer,” said Laking.
Health Minister Andrew Little rejected the suggestion that the Māori Health Authority was a “separatist” system and that the idea of the Māori health authority was one system of health with the addition of Māori leadership to “help improve Māori health services”.