Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

May 16: Cancer study highlights Maori risk

Associate Health Minister Mita Ririnui says a new study on cancer mortality rates highlights the need for urgent action to change the way Maori are treated by the health system.

The Wellington School of Medicine study found Maori are almost twice as likely to die of the disease as non-Maori patients, because they don't get diagnosed early enough.

Mr Ririnui says the study will benefit Maori sufferers.

“It’s a huge wake up call for the sector and for government. We had the 2003 cancer strategy framework launch, but this information in this report highlights the need and how urgent the task is. The value of this report is it tells us everything in one succinct report,” Ririnui says.

Mr Ririnui says the study highlights the critical role of the primary health sector in detecting diseases like cancer.

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A Maori midwife says the warning by a New Zealand doctors's group against a push in Britain for more home births shows how New Zealand practitioners are unwilling to give up control.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists says the British move is dangerous and ludicrous.

Midwife Joanne Rama says hospital births are only necessary where difficulties are anticipated.

Ms Rama says hospitals take the control away from the mother.

“Part of my reason for choosing to practice as a home birth only practitioner is because of my commitment to enabling whanau to reclaim traditional birthing practices, Which is no problem in your own environment, but once you have a hospital environment you sometimes have to justify things like using pounamu to cut the pito, using muka,” Rama said.


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Greens' Maori spokesperson Metiria Turei says Maori busineses could extend the the Kiwi Made campaign to encourage people to buy Maori made goods.

The Government is pumping $11.5 million into the Kiwi Made campaign in this week's budget, as part payment for the Greens cooperation.

Ms Turei says the Greens see it as a chance to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector and drive up employment.

She says while nothing specifically is being done to promote Maori brands, there is nothing to stop that happening..

Ms Turei says Maori have shown they are extremely loyal to Maori brands, if they can find them.

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