Pasifika communities are set to launch their own vaccination events throughout the country this week.
The Niue community in Auckland will be holding a vaccination drive-through this week at the the LDS Chapel in Favona. A TikTok challenge has also been set up to encourage people to attend, take part in the dance challenge and win some prizes.
Etu Pasifika in Christchurch will be holding a Niue Covid-19 Vaccination Day this Saturday and welcome walk-ins and drive-throughs on the day.
The team have spot prizes, giveaways, a free sausage sizzle and a Kuki String Band to entertain all who attend the day.
Over in the Wellington region, the Niue community is being invited to attend the Niue Festival Vaccination Clinic, opening this Wednesday to Niue people and others who might also want to get vaccinated.
‘Ofeina Manuel Barbarich from the Northern Regional Health Coordination Centre said the ethnic-specific approach is the way forward.
“Nurses and doctors at the front line speaking to the community in their mother tongue… and just being able to communicate clearly and, of course, being run out of a place where the community knows,” she says.
The Malu’i Ma’a Tonga (MMT) Vaccination drive through saw the start of ethnic-based vaccination roll outs for Pasifika communities a few week ago.
The event aimed to vaccinate 3000 people over the course of 3 days, but instead managed to surpass the original goal, vaccinating 3,829 Tongans instead.
The Cause Collective collaborated with many Pasifika clinicians, church leaders and community groups for the event and believes ethnic specific approaches to target Pacific communities are important.
“We believe that our ethnic-specific efforts will make a difference in the uptake of the vaccinations through this community-driven initiative as this is another way of making the vaccination more accessible to our community.”
The Cook Islands community will also be launching a vaccination drive through later this week at the Atiu Hall in Māngere.
See below for Niue Vaccination events around the country:
Wellington – Niue Festival Vaccination Clinic
Wednesday 22nd September, 2pm – 6pm
Lower Hutt Covid Vaccination Centre, 218 High Street, Lower Hutt
CONTACT TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT:
[email protected] /04 5770394 OR 027 277 6996
Auckland – Vaccinate Niue Drive Through
Thursday 23rd – Saturday 25th September
Thursday 8am-6pm, Friday – Saturday 8am 4:30pm
15 Robertson Road, Favona (LDS Chapel)
12+ Years, No appointments necessary
For more information contact:
Dr Colin Tukuitonga 0212228275 / [email protected]
Mali Erick 0211259138 / [email protected]
Christchurch – Niue Covid-19 Vaccination Day
Saturday 25th September, 9am – 4:30pm
Etu Pasifika Vaccination Centre, 173 Montreal Street, Christchurch
For more information:
Call 0800 388 434 or email [email protected] to book
