Maori health advocate, Colleen Tuuta wants Maori to have a choice about immunisation.
Maori immunisation rates became a hot issue at the Taranaki District Health Board when some interesting figures revealed the situation regarding the health of Maori children.
These figures show the proportion of Maori children fully immunised at the age of 24 months in the Taranaki region has risen from 86 per cent at June 2010 to 91 per cent in November 2011.
The current immunisation rate for Maori at 91 per cent is now approaching that for the total population and the inequalities in immunisation previously seen between ethnic groups is reducing.
Te Whare Punanga Korero (TWPK) chairman Darryn Ratana said the most important thing was that parents make the decision to immunise tamariki from an informed position. "The latest statistics are very encouraging but there is still more to be done."
Hayden Wano, chief executive of Tui Ora, a Taranaki Maori health service provider, said immunisation was definitely a priority for Maori. "We know that this is one of the contributing areas needing improvement in Maori health and we shouldn't shy away from that point."
Somewhat surprisingly Maori health advocate and Board member, Colleen Tuuta has put forward her own thoughts on the subject, saying she is not anti- immunisation - she is pro-choice.
Her attitude involved her in a fiery debate regarding Maori immunisation rates with fellow member Karen Eagles at the Board meeting and, since then, she has reiterated her point that immunisation, like many issues, was about informing people to make their own decisions. "If a family should decide 'Oh, immunisation is not for us' after reading all of the information about it then they shouldn't be stigmatised."
Ms Tuuta, who is affiliated with Taranaki Tuturu, Ngati Mutunga, Te Atiawa, and Ngati Mahuta, said she had seen the other side of the equation through her niece, who had her children immunised because she felt it was expected of her. "It's not a Maori or non-Maori issue, it's actually about the way the targets have been set."
Ms Tuuta said it was ridiculous for the Government to have a long- term goal of 100 per cent immunisation, because there were always going to be people who would decline. The health system needed to be open to a "multi-world" view and use of traditional medicines.
"If young parents are exposed to that information they may make other choices better suited to them, their budgets and their world view regardless of whether they're Maori or Pakeha."
Ms Tuuta said it was similar to the fluoride debate - where she made an impassioned plea to the New Plymouth District Council earlier this year against putting the chemical into water supplies.
"When people are given quality information they have the right and power to make a choice."
Ms Tuuta said she was not concerned about board figures revealing Maori had been behind in immunisation rates over the last three years.
"They say that is a bad thing, but it's only because it doesn't meet their targets. They say immunisation is the best thing since sliced bread but I've never been immunised and never had measles," she said.
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