A major Auckland iwi says its pioneering plan to offer enrolled hapū members free healthcare has been a huge success.
A year ago, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei launched it Toi Ora programme, which offered members free comprehensive healthcare through a partnership with insurer NIB.
Project manager at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa, Anahera Rawiri, said that just under 3000 of its 5000 registered members have taken up the offer.
It is playing a major part in eliminating barriers that Māori face when accessing quality health care.
"We are seeing a really good uptake of rangatahi accessing some of the care benefits around the GP access, optical care, dentist and physio," she told TVNZ 1's Te Karere.
"It goes right through from there all the way to major surgeries, especially for our kaumātua, that major surgery component is really important.
AUT student Selwyn Teua said the scheme provided major financial relief.
"As a student it is real difficult, obviously, to make your health your priority cause it’s quite expensive, but this initiative has been really great and in terms of going and being proactive about my health."
Ms Rawiri hoped the programme could be adopted by other iwi, and that more of her iwi members would take up the offer.
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