Turanga Health collaborated with researchers from University of Otago to investigate how it could measure the impact and social value of staff vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, all while maintaining the integrity of Māori values.
A Turanga Health vaccination programme saved lives and created millions in social value, a seminal research project has shown.
The University of Otago and Turanga Health social return on investment (SROI) evaluation released this month, reveals that people Turanga Health vaccinated for COVID-19 in 2021 and 2022 valued being kept out of hospital and reducing the severity and duration of lockdowns.
SROI research is a well-known way to measure how much good something does, not just in money but also in helping people, the environment, and the community.
The study, funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, also translated Te Ao Māori values, experiences, and outcomes, into numerical values as part of the SROI research.
Dr Louise Mainvil, of Otago’s Va’a o Tautai, says this is “one of only a handful of projects done like this in the health sector”.
Dr Louise Mainvil
A substantial amount of government funding totalling $5.95 million over three years, was allocated to the vaccination programme in Tairāwhiti. The programme generated a significantly higher social value, amounting to $28.14 million.
Once all of the government’s investment was considered, the social return on investment ratio was $4.73 of value for every $1 invested. That means the government-funded vaccination programme in Tairāwhiti created more than four times the value for the community than the amount invested.
Turanga Health chief executive Reweti Ropiha says that hardworking taxpayers expect smart government investment, and this research shows that Turanga Health was a valuable organisation to invest in.
Without the vaccine programme, Gisborne Hospital could have been overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases, straining healthcare services and impacting non-COVID-19 patients. Hospital care is costly, so reducing hospitalisations saved lives and money.
“Māori were better protected, and whānau could continue working and contributing to their communities. More than just a financial figure, the numerical value has a real-world impact.”
“The COVID-19 vaccination programme also reduced the severity of Government-imposed restrictions in the region and kept the regional economy going,” says Mr Ropiha.
Mr Ropiha says the seminal study complements a growing body of international work that examines the value of investing in indigenous health outside of traditional investment frameworks and conventional performance metrics.
“This foundational research focuses on the importance of culture and Māori concepts in programme delivery.”
Between May 2021 and October 2022, Turanga Health ran 347 clinics in community-based locations and administered 20,081 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The organisation’s efforts accounted for 18 percent of all vaccinations in the Tairāwhiti region, and 23 percent of all doses administered to Māori in Tairāwhiti.
Some of the significant changes for whānau vaccinated by Turanga Health included social inclusion, protection from infection-related death, and preservation of whakapapa.
Turanga Health staff benefited from increased skills and mana, particularly for kaiāwhina, who became vaccinators during the pandemic. They were at the coalface vaccinating thousands of individuals, and their approach to vaccination was rooted in hospitality, fun, generosity, and mahi aroha.
The University of Otago is continuing its work with Turanga Health and is now evaluating the SROI for the iwi health organisation’s pre-eminent Kaumātua Programme.
Read more about Va'a o Tautai
The Va'a o Tautai provides a range of academic programmes and support for Pacific students across all Otago campuses. It leads the way in Pacific health teaching and research.
Find out more