31 Mar 2021

A serious shortage of Māori and Pasifika midwives

From Nine To Noon, 9:42 am on 31 March 2021

A Maori midwife says National midwifery services have been falling short of meeting the needs of Māori and Pasifika women whose  pregnancies are overepresented in still birth and neonatal death.

The Government has just announced a new initiative aimed at attracting and retaining Māori and Pasifika midwives and addressing racial inequalities. It includes the te ara ō Hine/Tapu Ora programme which funds a student with support/pastoral care at each of the five midwifery education providers .

Auckland University of Technology is one of the providers - and to discuss the new wraparound service aimed at strengthening diversity in the sector - Māori Liasion and Clinical Educator Midwifery from AUT Teresa Krishnan and Ngatepaeru Marsters who is AUT's Pasifika liaison for midwifery.

Ngatepaeru Marsters and Teresa Krishnan

Ngatepaeru Marsters and Teresa Krishnan Photo: supplied by AUT