Supporting Māori pharmacy students with the Hiwinui Heke Māori Pharmacy Scholarships
Te Pātaka Whaioranga, in collaboration with Ngā Kaitiaki o Te Puna Rongoā ō Āotearoa (Māori Pharmacists Association), is proud to offer the 2023 Hiwinui Heke Māori Pharmacy Scholarships.
“One of the priority areas in the new Pae Tū: Hauora Māori Strategy is to grow the Māori health workforce and sector to match community needs,” says Te Pātaka Whaioranga – Pharmac’s Kaituruki Māori (Director) Trevor Simpson (Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa).
“Māori pharmacists with knowledge, expertise and understanding of tikanga, Māori health needs and practise are important advocates and support people. Which is why Te Pātaka Whaioranga, in collaboration with Ngā Kaitiaki o Te Puna Rongoā ō Āotearoa, offer Māori pharmacy students the Hiwinui Heke Māori Pharmacy Scholarships.”
The Hiwinui Heke Māori Pharmacy Scholarships are a financial contribution for Māori students to support their study towards a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree and to promote pharmacy as a career.
“Having a Māori health workforce that is representative of the people it serves strengthens the health system’s capacity to deliver effective and appropriate services for and with Māori,” says Ngā Kaitiaki o te Puna Rongoā o Aotearoa tumuaki (president) Mariana Hudson.
“The scholarship is named after the first Māori pharmacist Kaumatua Hiwinui Heke – Te Arawa-Ngai Te Rangi, Uenukukopako. He contributed significantly to Māori, Rotorua, and the Ōwhata marae community as an influential leader and positive Māori health advocate.”
“Some truly exceptional Māori pharmacy students have been recognised in the past 15 years, and I know this year will be no different,” says Hudson.
Over the 15-year history of the scholarship, 44 Māori pharmacy students have received Hiwinui Heke scholarship support. This marks a long-term and on-going commitment by Te Pātaka Whaioranga with Ngā Kaitiaki o Te Puna Rongoā ō Āotearoa to developing the Māori health workforce.
“The scholarship is a great example of how Te Pātaka Whaioranga is working to strengthen relationships with Māori health professional groups and uphold the articles of te Tiriti across all its work,” says Simpson.
“We are honoured to be part of this initiative to celebrate and support the incredible contributions and aspirations of Māori in the health sector.”
Applications for the Hiwinui Heke Māori Pharmacy Scholarship are currently open. They close on 31 October 2023.
This story is part of our Kauneke Update
The Kauneke Update will keep you informed on important news and progress towards Te Pātaka Whaioranga – Pharmac's strategic goals. In te reo Māori, kauneke means to develop and move forward.
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