An iwi health provider is urging people in the Eastern Bay of Plenty to take advantage of mobile vaccine clinics available from today.

Te Puna Ora o Mataatua chief executive Chris Tooley says the Mataatua area is behind where he wants it to be on vaccination rates.

"To help with that we are removing barriers for those that need extra support, through location bookings and transport assistance."

Chris says 4,000 people have visited its centre in the Whakatāne suburb of Kopeopeo, and he hopes the mobile clinics will remove barriers and boost those numbers.

The team is available for large group bookings at marae, community organisations or social groups, Chris says, for both Māori and non-Māori.

Med Central practice manager Kahlise Hata is encouraging whānau to get vaccinated.

"More Māori have died from Covid-19 in New Zealand than any other ethnic group and we know from historical infectious diseases, like the flu, Māori are disproportionately affected,” says Kahlise.

"To protect our whānau, our hapū, our iwi, we urge all Māori to book in a vaccination for themselves and their whānau."