Auckland DHB reflects on 21 years of striving to achieve equity

“People are getting hōhā [annoyed] with COVID, we know that. But these messages are getting through to my communities”

“Thirty-five years ago, ‘kia ora’ was unheard of” in a formal health setting, said deputy chair Tama Davis at Auckland DHB’s final board meeting today.

Following a relatively short agenda, board chair Pat Snedden acknowledged how far the DHB had come over the past 21 years; having learnt to openly discuss how to approach equity, in a sector plagued with unequal health outcomes.

When DHBs cease to exist on Friday, Mr Davis said we must not forget “he waka eke noa”; and “for us to go forward, we must paddle together”.

Among reflections of the past 21 years, board member Bernie O’Donnell thanked everyone involved in the recent health-promotion messages surrounding influenza which had a specific focus on Māori and Pacific communities.

“I’m hearing our languages,” he says. “People are getting hōhā [annoyed] with COVID, we know that. But these messages are getting through to my communities.”

Mr Davis also offered his congratulations to the communications team, noting that learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to have informed the new, culturally relevant health messaging.

Having received positive feedback on the flu vaccination campaign, he said there was clearly a “real effort to resonate amongst the community”.

Auckland DHB’s interim chief financial officer Auxilia Nyangoni gave the last financial update, indicating numbers were “significantly favourable to budget”, with a surplus of $8 million for the month of June.

She informed the room the DHB seemed to have gained an “unintended bonus”, adding it was not clear whether this money would be transitioned to next year.

Mr O’Donnell noted that, “[the financial side of] ADHB is thriving, in a context where it’s delivering less.”

Although a formal affair, the last meeting gave members the chance to acknowledge the work done by Auckland DHB to support the community.

Before giving her committee report, director of funding Debbie Holdsworth took a minute to thank Pat Snedden for his dedication in a challenging role.

Throughout the session, almost every speaker began their presentation or question to the board with recognition to what the board or a specific member had accomplished.

Board member Ian Ward thanked Michael Shepherd for his hard work throughout the COVID pandemic; and then moved swiftly to question him on the BA.5 variant.

“If you know nothing, just say so,” Mr Ward said.

After a pause, Mr Shepherd said it might be “a bit harsh to say I know nothing… but close to it”.

He went on to explain he did not have enough data or information on the new variant, but the room was chuckling under their surgical masks.