Cross sector approach needed for Māori health says expert

Friday 27 November, 2015

Cross sector approach needed for Māori health says expert

Acclaimed Māori health expert Emeritus Professor Sir Mason Durie has issued a rallying call for cross-sector collaboration to drive future Māori heath gains.

In a presentation delivered to a 100-strong crowd including community, council and healthcare leaders at Tauranga Hospital on Wednesday (November 25) Sir Mason outlined his vision of Pae Ora (Healthy Futures).

“Substantial gains have been made over the past 30 years,” he said. “But the next 30 years will require refocusing towards the determinants of health, requiring a collective effort that transcends sectors, iwi, disciplines, and statutory authorities. This will lead to positive outcomes that are greater than any one agency could achieve.”

Sir Mason lauded the achievements of the last 30 years which have seen Māori life expectancies increase by eight years for both men (from 65 to 73) and women (from 69 to 77). However, significant disparities remained in areas such as: diabetes, most cancers, mental health issues and rheumatic fever.

In his measured and uncomplicated style, Sir Mason focussed the spotlight on the conditions and behaviours (e.g. housing, poverty, under-age drinking) which cause health issues and asked agencies across multiple sectors to take responsibility in addressing them.

“The health sector alone cannot address these risks to health. A wider community and regional response is required.”

Mauri ora (healthy lives); whānau ora (healthy families) and wai ora (healthy environments) were, Sir Mason explained, the three principle tenets of Pae Ora.

“Mauri Ora is about flourishing: vitality, integrity, and energy, positive relationships in the wider environment – sometimes referred to as a ’life force’; whānau ora is about building whānau capability so that all whānau members can enjoy good health; and wai ora recognises that good health requires healthy environments, both natural and built.”

The presentation was followed by a workshop for those present, during which ideas for future action were discussed, said Bay of Plenty District Health Board Chair Sally Webb.

“It was important to have someone of Sir Mason’s standing present on this topic because of his 50 years of leadership in Māori health and the fact that he is such a strong exponent of the need to address wider health determinants,” she said.

“It was great to see so many representatives from so many agencies and iwi in attendance and how enthusiastically the message of working across communities and sectors was received. There was widespread acknowledgement that we cannot work in isolation on Māori health as it is an issue with such a broad base.”

One of those present was Bill Wasley, Independent Chairman of Smartgrowth.

“The message that no one organisation can tackle this issue alone was a powerful one; that we have to align and work together. That is very much in line with the values which underpin Smartgrowth.”

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