Story: Public health

Doctor checking Māori family, 1950

Doctor checking Māori family, 1950

In the 19th century, the introduction of new diseases to which Māori had no immunity led to a massive decline in the Māori population. This, combined with significant land loss, set the scene for poor Māori health into the 21st century. Dr Williams of Whangaroa, in Northland, is checking the health of a Māori family in 1950. Māori health was starting to improve by then, but a series of reports published from the late 1950s highlighted the significant gap which still existed between Māori and non-Māori. This gap remained in the 2000s.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: AAQT 6401/A20,175
Photograph by K. V. Bigwood

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How to cite this page:

Kerryn Pollock, 'Public health - Social and ethnic inequalities', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/31384/doctor-checking-maori-family-1950 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 7 Jul 2019 with assistance from Richard Edwards