A new initiative led by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples will ensure more Pacific families will get access to warmer and healthier homes.
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Pacific Healthy Homes initiative, which expands the reach of the existing Healthy Homes Initiative and Warmer Kiwi Homes programme with funding of $4 million over the next year.
Pacific Healthy Homes connects Pacific peoples in Porirua and South Auckland with local providers who can assess their homes and provide help with things like curtains, ventilation, heating, insulation, education, or minor repairs.
The initiative expands the reach of the existing Healthy Homes Initiative and Warmer Kiwi Homes programme, helping to reach Pacific peoples aged 45 and over, who have experienced an Ambulatory Sensitive Hospitalisation condition such as pneumonia, bronchiolitis, rheumatic fever or meningitis
Older Pacific peoples have not been eligible for similar programmes previously, while young Pacific children with the same conditions, and pregnant people, can access existing Healthy Homes Initiative.
Secretary for Pacific Peoples Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone says “we know living in cold and damp homes increases the risk of developing preventable health conditions.
“The Pacific Healthy Homes initiative will improve home environments for older Pacific peoples and their families in the target regions, lifting their quality of life and health outcomes,” says Gerardine.
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples has partnered with Health New Zealand and existing Healthy Homes Initiative providers, Pacific health and social service providers, including Whānau Ora navigators, and the Energy, Efficiency and Conservation Authority, to deliver the initiative.
Find out more about the Pacific Healthy Homes initiative.