Transcript
Maori life expectancy is seven shorter and Pacific people lived six years less, than those of other ethnicities in New Zealand, according to the research.
For Maori, coronary disease and cancers of the airways and lungs in both men and women, were significant contributors to early deaths, and for Maori men, suicide and road accidents were a key factor in avoidable injuries.
For Pacific men and women the greatest contributors to early death were coronary disease, diabetes and strokes with Pacific women also having higher rates of uterine cancer.
A Public Health Physician and Senior Lecturer in Maori Health at Auckland University, Dr Rhys Jones, says social inequalities such as poor housing and access to healthcare contribute to the discrepancies but systemic racism is a factor too.
"Having accepted that we're essentially part of the problem, we need to then think about what can we do to try and become part of the solution. So although we may be kind of overly familiar with hearing about these kind of statistics, we need to just reflect on the fact that we can't become immune to that, we can't accept or tolerate these inequities. It really calls for serious action."
A Senior Lecturer in Maori Health says she optimistic the latest research as well as findings from the Waitangi Tribunal on health grievances, will prompt the New Zealand government to address institutional racism in the sector.
Dr Heather Came, from AUT's Taupua Waiora Centre for Māori Health Research, says she thinks there has been a shift in thinking about racism and inequality at the Ministry of Health but new action needs to follow rhetoric.
She says inaction in the face of known racism towards Maori and Pacific people is incredibly unhelpful.
"There's a lot of health practitioners out there working incredibly hard. But the issue is that some of the work that we're doing isn't being effective. We've got systemic, institutional racism and we need to look at what we're doing and where we're investing and how we're developing policy. And it's time for a bit of a reflection and a bit of a re-boot."
Dr Came says change will come not through blaming individuals but by leaders, professionals and politicians taking collective responsibility to make the health system more effective for everyone.
Responding to questions after the Medical Journal revelations, the Ministry says despite some improvements, persistent disparities in health access, quality of services and health outcomes remain.
The Deputy Director General for Maori Health, John Whaanga, says the impact of personal and institutional racism is intolerable.
In a statement he says.
"This is unacceptable and it is the core business of the New Zealand health and disability system to respond effectively. The Government is taking a deliberate focus on equity as one of its priority programmes in health."
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Mr Whaanga says the government has mandated the Ministry of Health to take a bold approach that delivers measurable results in a three to five-year timeframe.
