Team Muskaan’s "Protection through Prevention" champions have played a key role in bridging the gap and supporting ethnic and minority communities to access healthcare since 2016.
During COVID pandemic, New Zealand was put under rigorous alert systems; Team Muskaan proactively mobilised resources within the communities and partner organisations to share information about COVID-19 in diverse languages. This was executed through partnership with community-led vaccination clinics across Auckland and other ethnic media channels. Activated volunteers provided peer and telehealth support to address the concerns of people who were vaccine hesitant. They also collated feedback from communities to better inform the healthcare system and advocate for culturally appropriate care to improve public health messaging about COVID and the subsequent preventative measures that will safeguard the communities health and wellbeing. The team also volunteered to offer support services i.e. access to vaccination centres and manaaki support for families struggling to access food and other necessities.
Team Muskaan voluntarily initiated vaccination services in collaboration with Counties Manukau Health in 2019 and is gradually emerging as an outreach provider for health and wellbeing of ethnically diverse communities from Asian, South Asian and MELAA backgrounds.
