28 Dec 2018

Health of Pasifika children improving

8:50 am on 28 December 2018

A new report shows improvements in health disparities between Pacific children and New Zealand children as a whole.

Pasifika family.

Pasifika family. Photo: The New Zealand Heart Foundation

The latest figures from the health ministry's 'Ala Mo'ui report will inform a government plan to improve health outcomes for all Pasifika.

The report shows more Pasifika babies are enrolled with a GP at three months of age and have immunisation coverage at eight months of age than the national average.

Pasifika are close to achieving parity with all New Zealanders when it comes to four-year-old kids receiving before school health checks and kids under five enrolled in Community Oral Health Services.

But while figures have improved in a number of areas, Pasifika are still experiencing significantly poorer outcomes in some.

30 percent of Pasifika kids aged between two and 14 are obese compared to 11 percent of New Zealand kids overall.

See the report here.