Health centre opens

Tu Tangata, Issue 13, 1 August 1983, Page 33

Health centre opens

A centre aimed at educating Maori people about health care is to operate at Huntly’s Waahi marae. It is a Waahi marae project which began about two years ago. There, a survey of Huntly Maori people showed levels of diabetes and high blood pressure. The project is being supported by the Health Department. It will provide an experienced public health nurse to educate selected Waahi marae women in health care. The nurse will work on the project for 20 hours a week for a year or as long as it takes for the women to become proficient. The proposal is for the women to then educate Maori people about their health and other matters weight control, recreation, home management, exercise, family planning, and the ef-

fects of alcohol and smoking. Marae spokesman Timi Maipi said the centre would be housed at the marae and would offer free services but would not affect doctors’ clientele. He said the project would act as a referral service by helping Maori people identify illness and encouraging them to go to a doctor. Many Maori people were reluctant to visit doctors because of the cost, and a lack of confidence, he said. The marae service would help build up their confidence and show them they were entitled to ask questions of their doctors. The Waahi project was a pilot scheme for New Zealand but it was hoped it would be adopted within Maori communities throughout the country, he said.