Grassroots ‘Hīkoi 4 Health’ Hits One-Third Mark, Returning Community Stories As Books To North Island Towns
by Health Reform NZ · SCOOPThe Hīkoi 4 Health, a grassroots movement to reimagine New Zealand's public healthcare system is about a third of the way through its latest journey. Doctors Art Nahill and Glenn Colquhoun, traveling in their brightly painted ‘vanbulance,’have completed the initial leg of their North Island tour through Te Tai Tokerau, engaging with local communities.
Since launching in Auckland on Friday, 18 September 2026 with the premier of their documentary Hīkoi 4 Health, The Movie, the tour has been to Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Te Tii, and Whangārei engaging with locals about ways to fundamentally reform our health system. A central mission of this hīkoi is accountability and reciprocity; the organizers have been actively dropping off free copies of their newly published book, Rethinking Health: Lessons from the Hīkoi 4 Health, to those communities that originally shared their stories, frustrations, and ideas during the first hīkoi.
‘We are incredibly heartened by the conversations we've had over this first third of the journey,’ Art Nahill stated. ‘People are eager for real change. Returning these books to the communities who authored them through their lived experiences is our way of trying to keep their voices at the centre of reform. While this book is not a book of answers, we hope it is a book of ideas to stimulate the imagination and further debate’.
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The hīkoi is powered by more than 500 public submissions gathered during a 3,120-kilometre journey from Te Hāpua to Wellington in late April of 2025. Working with a volunteer "Blue-Sky" innovation team of public health, nursing, and Te Ao Māori experts, these insights were then woven into new ideas for a 21st century healthcare system.
With two-thirds of the journey remaining, the vanbulance is continuing its rolling itinerary through regional towns—including upcoming stops in Hamilton, Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, Gisborne, Hastings, Whanganui, Palmerston North, and Levin—before culminating on Parliament Grounds in Wellington to leave a free copy of the book for all MPs.
For the complete itinerary or to read more about the ongoing campaign, visit healthreformnz.org
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