Pasifika are more likely than any ethnic group to be hospitalised for Covid-19, with Māori following closely behind.
Malia Su-emalo Lui (left cubicle) and Seumanu Va'a Robertson (right) receive information about Covid-19 vaccination before receiving the jab at a public vaccination event arranged by the Catholic Church in Wellington, 9 June 2021. Photo: Johnny Blades / RNZ Pacific
A recently published article in the New Zealand Medical Journal, indicated that Pasifika are three times more likely to be hospitalised for the virus than non-Pasifika and non-Māori.
Māori are 2.5 times greater odds of hospitalisation.
The article, Māori and Pacific People in New Zealand have a higher risk of hospitalisation for COVID-19, used data until September 2020 from the EpiSurv notifiable disease surveillance database.
It cited the August cluster contained a much higher proportion of cases from Māori and Pasifika communities than the first outbreak.
Photo: Supplied.
He said poorer access to healthcare and a lack of high-quality housing have meant Māori and Pasifika communities face a greater health burden from Covid-19.
"We do know that there's long-standing structural inequities and systemic racism in the healthcare system that contributes to widespread inequities in healthcare," he said.
"We don't have a healthcare system that serves the needs of Māori and Pasifika well enough."
The article outlined systemic racism within the healthcare system could further exacerbate inequities in outcomes, if another Covid-19 were to happen and services were stretched.
Southseas Healthcare is a Ōtara-based primary healthcare provider, responsible for the running of New Zealand's only dedicated Pacific vaccination centre.
Dr Teuila Percival. Photo: Supplied/Pasifika Medical Association
She said the Government hasn't considered the inaccessibility of the online vaccination registration process for elderly Māori and Pasifika.
"There's been some really good community outreach and messaging," she said.
"That needs to be backed up with a really easy to manage system of getting a vaccination - so how do you sit and wait for the invitation."
"Can you ring somebody up if you haven't heard. I mean that's not been entirely clear."
Percival said although Pasifika communities have played their part in the Covid response, they remain highly likely of hospitalisation due to outstanding healthcare inequities.
Photo: AFP
Michael Plank hopes the findings can inform the Government's vaccine rollout, and prioritise Māori and Pasifika communities.
Currently, only those at risk of getting "very sick" from Covid-19, including over 65s - are eligible for vaccination.