Home-isolation scheme needs $20m to carry on

AN Auckland self-isolation support programme run by a

Ma¯ ori health collective needs $20 million funding to keep helping wha¯ nau cope at home with Covid-19, organisers say.

Noho Tapu is the new selfisolation programme run by Taumata Ko¯ rero, which has been delivering food throughout lockdown – 45 tonnes so far, and a $1 million in food vouchers.

Chairman Matua Hurimoana Dennis said is was a success, but needed resourcing to keep going and look after a predicted 1670 families this summer.

‘‘If the whole focus is to help wha¯ nau get through that noho tapu, it’s going to cost a bit of money. But the reach we have got at Taumata Ko¯ rero is incredible,’’ Dennis said. ‘‘It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be cheap, but we’ve had a lot of practice.’’

As of Friday, 4058 people were isolating at home in Auckland – 1070 positive Covid-19 cases.

This past week the Government announced a $204m fund will be opened to support self-isolation, in particular locally led responses such as Noho Tapu.

People who test positive for Covid-19 can expect contact from health providers in the first 24 hours, a package within 48 hours, and ongoing health checks. It’s what the Noho Tapu programme has been doing for eight weeks, Dennis said, and intends to keep going for the 677 families on their books.

‘‘Our families live in overcrowded situations. They were po¯ hara [poor] before Covid, they will be po¯ hara after Covid, so they are going to need a hand,’’ Dennis said.

The Noho Tapu programme involves a check-in as soon as someone tests positive, a support package and ongoing checkups, as well as counselling.

Dennis is confident funding will come through.

Hoani Waititi Marae in Glen Eden is working with Noho Tapu and manager Shane White even has first-hand experience of it. He recently finished 10 days selfisolation as a close contact of a case.

Hoani Waititi Marae staff have looked after eight large families so far, each with their own needs. One family needed a fridge, another a washing machine. ‘‘In many ways those families showed us that there wasn’t a ‘one size fits all’. We never would have expected to have to take a fridge to a house,’’ he said. ‘‘It was a real eyeopener, that the people I thought I knew well didn’t have what we would consider the basics to survive . . .’’

One ongoing question is how to help people with methamphetamine addiction to isolate if they are sick, because it won’t be their first instinct.

‘‘They have no boundaries, they have a selfish instinct, and they don’t know they are addicted. No-one will contact trace, or do QR codes, because it’s a secretive, hidden world,’’ he said.