Without Vision My People Will Certainly Perish

The Children’s Social Health Monitor confirms that the negative social and health effects brought on by the economic recession will be predictably worse for many of the low income and benefit dependant Maori families and their children.  In an overall response to the challenging baseline indicators identified in the report, Maori SIDS Operations Manager, Herena Te Wano stated,

“The recession places added pressure on already overburdened Maori families, forcing them to cut back on already stressed budgets that are barely making ends meet if at all.  Without a doubt things are tough.  We have families needing extra support now, and we also have to be thinking ahead to the future.”

Mokopuna Ora, a vision shared by Maori SIDS with whanau and Maori organisations throughout Aotearoa, aspires to see every child of Maori ethnicity achieving optimum health and wellbeing.  Mrs Te Wano added, “In spite of massive challenges, we must promote a vision of hope for our people like many Maori leaders have in the past such as Princess Te Puea and Dame Whina Cooper, and work towards it using whatever means possible.”

Maori SIDS will continue to support the work of the Children’s Social Health Monitor, launched today at the Paediatric Society of New Zealand’s annual scientific meeting in Hamilton.  Accordingly, Maori children already disproportionately burdened by social and economic pressures, must remain a priority group to monitor the effects to ensure the information is available on demand to inform the nation’s policy makers on relief packages, economic recovery and development for Maori communities.

Ali Ahu
Operations Manager
Maori SIDS
Ph:         09 373 7599 ext 89856
Fax:         09 373 7030
Mobile:    027 497 7150
dev.maorisids.org.nz

About Maori SIDS:

Māori SIDS has over 15 years experience, delivering national and regional services with a focus on co-ordination and provision of evidence based information. We aim to assist whānau, health professionals and communities to reduce the incidence of (Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy), which includes SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). We also advocate on the wider issues that affect the health and well-being of mokopuna Māori and whānau.

Our key services include:

• Information dissemination
• Workforce development
• Reorientation of health services
• Supporting whānau

The programme started in March 1994, and is funded by the Ministry of Health. Māori SIDS is based at the School of Population Health, Tamaki Campus, University of Auckland.