Te Aka Whai Ora Board chair, Tipa Mahuta announced the release of the 2022/23 Annual Report for Te Aka Whai Ora, year one of the newly formed health agency.

The Report describes the work undertaken and the achievements over the course of 2022/23, with the iwi Māori partnership boards, hauora Māori partners and Māori communities.

“We had the opportunity to work alongside whānau and our hauora Māori champions and we’re proud to showcase their achievements and the critical part they play in supporting healthy futures for all whānau. We present their achievements and the progress we have made towards our strategic objectives” says Tipa Mahuta.

The annual report is the first for Te Aka Whai Ora and despite a challenging year it shows the impact made through the voices of whānau and iwi.

Te Aka Matua (Chief Executive) Riana Manuel says the support and work by Te Aka Whai Ora was a catalyst to reimagine the future of public health.

 “The challenge was enormous but so was the opportunity, we targeted specific areas such as the workforce-related measures, commissioning of health services, monitoring health outcomes and the assisted development of iwi Māori partnership boards. All of it demonstrates local decision-making through iwi and communities which is at the heart of the reforms”, says Riana Manuel

Reflecting on a year of rapid change Board chair, Tipa Mahuta, understands the responsibilities and accountabilities of Te Aka Whai Ora extend beyond iwi, hapū and Māori communities to include the wider public, that while our responsibility is Māori, our work includes entire communities.

“Our performance measures include monitoring, reporting, planning, workforce capability and capacity, advice, outcomes frameworks, effective engagement, to ensure maximum collective impact to deliver a better health system that will eliminate inequities. The light we shine and the path we walk benefits everyone, because the final product will deliver a health system we all deserve”, says Tipa Mahuta.