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“In 2022, the government of Aotearoa New Zealand undertook a major reform of its health system structure in order to address longstanding issues of inequitable access to health services and inequitable health outcomes, particularly those affecting the indigenous Māori population.

“The restructure centralised planning, funding and provision responsibilities into two national entities. Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), means ‘the weaving together of wellness’ in te reo Māori (the language of the indigenous Māori population). This organisation has responsibility for delivering and funding most publicly-funded health services, including hospitals. Te Aka Whai Ora, (the Māori Health Authority) means ‘the central vine in pursuit of health and wellbeing’ and has been created to lead and monitor transformational change for the health and wellbeing of Māori.

“The naming of these organisations in te reo Māori, and the expectation of meaningful partnership between them, signals an innovative shift in health system design and priorities in a country that is still coming to terms with its history of colonisation. These changes will be of interest to other countries who are grappling with their own colonial histories and struggling to provide health services in ways that are equitable and contribute to positive health outcomes for their whole population, including indigenous and marginalised communities.”

Source: Tim Tenbensel, Jacqueline Cumming, Esther Willing, The 2022 restructure of Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system: Will it succeed in advancing equity where others have failed?, Health Policy, Volume 134, 2023, 104828, ISSN 0168-8510, doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2023.104828.

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World Health Systems Facts is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. We provide reliable statistics and other data from authoritative sources regarding health systems and policies in the US and sixteen other OECD member nations.

Page last updated June 30, 2026 by Doug McVay, Editor.