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National | Hauora

Ngāti Porou kura 3D-prints face-shields, makes hand sanitiser

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiū o Ngāti Porou students make 3D masks, hand sanitiser - Photo / Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiū o Ngāti Porou gets behind health workers to create face shields and hand sanitiser.

Phil Heeney speaks with Te Ao about where the idea came about - Video / File

The Ruatoria-based kura manufactured 75 hand sanitisers due to the limited resources supplied for the Ngāti Porou Hauora staff at Te Puia Springs Hospital and the Ruatoria Health Clinic.

Spokesperson Gerry Heeney says, “Our goal is to produce sufficient quantities to meet local requests. The production process is very slow because we only have one 3D printer.”

TE KURA KAUPAPA MAORI O TE WAIU O NGATI POROU MAKING FACE SHIELDS & SANITISER FOR NGATI POROU HEALTH WORKERS TKKM o Te...

Posted by Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou on Thursday, April 2, 2020

The kura is also putting a tono out to the rohe for more 3D printers to make the production process run faster and manufacture more shields and sanitisers.

Further production of hand sanitiser depends on the arrival of a new order of isopropyl alcohol in order for the local Maori school to keep productions flowing.

This is all part of a community response to protect frontline staff in the health sector up the coast.

"The whānau of TKKM o Te Waiū o Ngāti Porou thanks you all soo much for your helping to protect our most vulnerable, our Pakeke and Tamariki, the sick and impoverished. Ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou."

The kura asks if the public can help with more 3D printers or Isopropyl alcohol to contact Gerry and Phil Heeney at TKKM o Te Waiū o Ngāti Porou, gerry@tewaiu.school.nz.