53928 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

53928 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter January to March 2024 in actioning the recommendation ‘Expand the options for access with a particular focus on hapū māmā Māori and Pacific people’ under ‘Priority Area 3: Antenatal immunisations’ within the ‘Initial Priorities for the National Immunisation Programme in Aotearoa 2022’?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that the following progress was made during the January to March 2024 quarter: • Work was underway to engage pharmacies who were not offering antenatal immunisations to offer this service, in addition to various local initiatives to increase access to antenatal immunisation. • Te Aka Whai Ora worked Māori health partners to access funding from the $50 million package I announced in December 2023 to help lift Māori immunisation rates. Providers contracted under this initiative have significant autonomy to make decisions about how best to lift immunisation rates for their own communities, and I am advised that some providers have specifically targeted hāpū mama Māori as part of their efforts.