Hapū māmā and their whānau are invited to attend a Hapū Wānanga ki Tainui in Paeroa in October. 

Hapū Wananga is kaupapa Māori antenatal education that covers labour, birthing and parenting. It is designed to empower, strengthen and prepare hapū māmā and their whānau for baby and covers a range of topics from the stages of labour, birth and breastfeeding to safety for baby, post-natal care, parenting and relationships.

The Hapū Wananga is free and all hapū māmā will receive a māmā pepī goodie bag.

Noho Marae

WHERE: Te Pai o Hauraki Marae, 3 Papaturoa Ave, Paeroa

WHEN:  October 9 and 10 

TIME:  9.30am-3.30pm.

If you have any Hapū Māmā  keen to join this Kaupapa, please visit https://www.waikatodhb.health.nz/hapuwananga to register and for further information. 

September is Cervical Screening Awareness Month. If you book your smear in September you will go into a draw for a $200 gift voucher - there will be one 
voucher to be won in each of our Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki clinics in Thames, Paeroa, Te Aroha and Coromandel. Also, if you book your smear in September, you will go into the draw for a share of $300 of petrol or supermarket vouchers.

The screening programme is available to all women in New Zealand between 20 and 70 years old. The programme was set up in 1990 to reduce the number of women who develop cancer of the cervix and the number who die from it. 

It is estimated that up to 90 percent of cases of the most common form of cervical cancer could be prevented if women have a smear test every three years. Cervical smears are FREE to Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki clients.

Did you know that:

• Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable of all cancers. A woman's best protection against developing cervical cancer is having regular cervical smear tests.  A cervical smear test is a screening test to find abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. 
• Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus passed on by sexual contact. Most people will come into contact with HPV at some stage during their life.  Most HPV infections clear by themselves, but some high-risk types can cause cell changes on the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer 10 to 20 years after infection.  Other types can cause genital warts, but these strains do not lead to cancer.
• The vaccine does not protect against all HPV types; therefore, women who have been immunised must still continue to have smear tests.
• Regular cervical smear tests every three years are recommended for women, if they have ever been sexually active, from the age of 20 until they turn 70.
• Having regular cervical smears can reduce a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer by 90 percent.
• Without screening, about 1 in 90 women will develop cervical cancer, with 1 out of 200 dying from it, whereas with screening, 1 out of 570 women will develop cervical cancer, with 1 out of 1280 dying from it.About 160 women develop cervical cancer each year and about 50 die from it.
• Some kinds of cervical cancer are not caused by HPV, but these are very rare and are usually types of cancer that cervical screening tests cannot find early or prevent. They include cancer of the skin (melanoma) that has spread to the cervix and cancers of the muscles, nerves and connective tissues of the cervix.

A dedicated community-based swabbing centre for COVID-19 is back up and running in Thames, supported by a Mobile Testing clinic, which will travel to rural areas throughout the Hauraki rohe from tomorrow. (Thursday, August 13)

The Thames testing station will be run from the carpark of Thames health provider Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki at 210 Richmond Street.

Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki General Practitioner Martin Mikaere, who is the Clinical Lead for the Thames clinic, says the testing centre is open to everyone in the community, but they must phone ahead first, so that the dedicated team are prepared for their arrival.

“Anybody who suspects they have COVID-19 must ring the clinic in advance on Freephone 0508 835 676 (0508tekorowai)  and further directions will be given thereafter,” he says. 

People must remain in their cars on arrival until they are seen by one of the Te Korowai health team. They must not come into the clinic.

The Thames clinic will be open for testing Monday to Friday from 9am-12noon and 1-4pm; and this Saturday and Sunday 9-3pm. We will notify of arrangements for next week as we learn more about the Government’s plans.

The same procedure applies to people attending the Mobile Clinics – they will need to remain in their cars until they are triaged and assessed for swabbing.

The Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki Mobile Clinic timetable is:

Thursday, August 13 - Harataunga School House driveway 9-11am; Manaia Marae,              1-3pm.

Friday, August 14 -  Waihi Marae 9-11am; Paeroa 1-3pm.  
Monday, August 17 - Kerepēhi Marae 9-11am, Kaiaua 1-3pm.

The Thames Whānau Health Centre and mobile clinic will only be operating as COVID-19 testing centres. Anyone who is unwell for conditions not related to COVID-19 must phone their regular GP, who will give instructions as to procedure.

COVID-19 symptoms are similar to a range of other illnesses such as the flu and include fever, coughing, body aches, fatigue and difficulty breathing. 

For updates and more information, go to our Facebook Page: Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki or website: www.korowai.co.nz, or visit the Ministry of health website https://www.health.govt.nz

Hapū Wānanga are kaupapa Māori labour & workshops designed to empower, strengthen and prepare hapū māmā and their whānau for baby.