{"id":610059,"date":"2026-09-24T07:54:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T07:54:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/610059\/"},"modified":"2026-09-24T07:54:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T07:54:12","slug":"health-nz-launches-whanau-focused-campaign-to-lift-maori-immunisation-te-ao-maori-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/610059\/","title":{"rendered":"Health NZ launches wh\u0101nau-focused campaign to lift M\u0101ori immunisation \u2013 Te Ao M\u0101ori News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Health New Zealand has launched an immunisation campaign titled \u201cStory to Tell,\u201d<\/a> featuring real wh\u0101nau experiences and an original song written and performed by artist Betty-Anne Monga alongside her sons.<\/p>\n

Monga noted that the project was designed to make space for open questions, different experiences, and conversations about childhood immunisations.<\/p>\n

The campaign launches alongside the release of Health New Zealand data showing 71.3% of M\u0101ori children were fully immunised at age two, compared to an 83.7% national average, a disparity the initiative aims to close by encouraging open conversations and connecting wh\u0101nau with support.<\/p>\n

\"\"Betty-Anne in the new music video titled Story to Tell. Photo: Health NZ Data reveals immunisations for M\u0101ori are on the rise<\/p>\n

Official Health New Zealand figures show M\u0101ori immunisation coverage has risen from 60.6% in September 2024 to 71.3% in June 2026. Although this reflects steady upward progress, it remains below the 83.7% national average and well short of the government\u2019s 95% target for full childhood immunisation.<\/p>\n

Dr Ramon Pink, Health New Zealand South Island\u2019s Regional Clinical Director, Public Health Medicine, stated that immunisation protects tamariki against serious infectious diseases such as measles, whooping cough, and meningococcal disease.<\/p>\n

\"\"Dr Ramon Pink, Health New Zealand South Island\u2019s Regional Clinical Director Public Health Medicine. Photo: Health NZ <\/p>\n

Dr Pink noted that accessibility is influenced by multiple external factors, including socioeconomic pressures, primary care access challenges, and historical mistrust within communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cImmunisation is available to everybody, but it doesn\u2019t mean to say that everybody can access that,\u201d Dr Pink said.<\/p>\n

To help address these barriers, Health New Zealand has invested in M\u0101ori health providers to create accessible environments outside of traditional clinical settings, offering flexible options for busy wh\u0101nau. Dr Pink stated that the campaign deliberately avoids prescriptive messaging in favour of supporting informed choices.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things I love most about this campaign is that it doesn\u2019t tell parents what to think. Instead, it shares real stories from real wh\u0101nau,\u201d Dr Pink said.<\/p>\n

Wh\u0101nau perspective and lived experience<\/p>\n

The campaign comprises 11 advertisements across television, video-on-demand, digital, and social platforms, anchored by Monga\u2019s musical work which was shaped directly by listening to participating parents.<\/p>\n

\"\"Manukaroa Anderson and her p\u0113p\u0113. Photo: Te Ao M\u0101ori News. <\/p>\n

Among those featured is Manukaroa Anderson, a mother of four, and a parent who discussed the complex decision-making process regarding childhood immunisations. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have wrestled with whether or not to vaccinate each and every single one of my children, each and every single time,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n

Anderson reported that her approach shifted after her second child contracted measles during a holiday period prior to COVID-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatching how quickly he deteriorated… I don\u2019t ever want to feel that kind of helplessness again,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She adds that he is now 16 years old, healthy, and happy.<\/p>\n

Today, her youngest child, 19-month-old Pikikairangi, is fully immunised under the routine schedule. Anderson noted that the campaign is intended to encourage open dialogue rather than dictate choices to parents.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf by sharing our wh\u0101nau\u2019s journey and sharing our story and having the opportunity to do it in our own words, helps other parents, helps other wh\u0101nau, then absolutely I want to be a part of that kind of kaupapa,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Health New Zealand has launched an immunisation campaign titled \u201cStory to Tell,\u201d featuring real wh\u0101nau experiences and an…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":610060,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[134,66160,111,139,69,72643,35834],"class_list":["post-610059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-health","tag-immunisation","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-vaccination","tag-whanau"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=610059"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610059\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/610060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=610059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=610059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=610059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}