Pae ora

Better health in our communities

Health and wellbeing, including mental health, is more than the absence of illness; it is the opportunity to thrive within our communities and our environments.

Te Aka Whai Ora will work across the motu to support a whānau and community-led approach for improved wellbeing that is coordinated, coherent, and responds to our communities' strengths and aspirations.

Health loss in Aotearoa is mainly due (83.5 per cent) to non-infectious disease, with four types of illness accounting for half of this health loss, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental ill-health and musculoskeletal disorders. Many of these conditions are potentially preventable.

Strengthening the prevention of illness involves consideration of a broad range of factors that influence people’s health. Te Aka Whai Ora, alongside Te Whatu Ora, will work with hauora Māori partners and other agencies to influence improvements in:

• Physical environment - air and water quality, and access to active transport and green spaces
• Social and economic environment - poverty, education, employment, housing, social connectedness, racism, ableism and ageism
• Commercial environment - promotion of products and choices detrimental to health, including alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy food.

We will strive to build healthy policy, create supportive environments, strengthen community action and reorientate health services – our central focus is pae ora – for our whānau, our communities, and our kaimahi healthcare workers.