Tariana Turia is stoked that Te Ao Auahatanga Hauora Maori (Maori Health Innovation Fund) she launched recently has received a new international award from the University of Toronto in Canada.

"Applications to the fund haven't even been chosen and yet it's great to hear news that this exciting project is causing a ‘buzz' and ‘chatter' among the online patient community," Mrs Turia said.

Mrs Turia and the fund were granted the inaugural Global Accelerator Award.

Neil Seeman, of the university's Health Strategy Innovation Cell, informed Mrs Turia that the online conversations of millions of patients were used to decide the winner.

"Based on a systematic research methodology, we evaluate which organisations or people in healthcare who have put an idea into action that has generated significant positive ‘buzz' or ‘chatter' on the world wide web," Mr Seeman said.

"The award doesn't have any money attached to it but it is based on what patients around the world think is valuable," he said.

$5 million a year will be made available under fund for Maori health providers wanting to develop and implement a pilot or new service, share and spread innovative information so to improve Maori health.

"I'm really proud that Maori innovation is on the world map - the recognition builds on decades of enterprise such as kohanga reo, kura kaupapa Maori, wananga, Matua Whangai just to name a few," Mrs Turia said.

Maori providers can submit registrations of interest by October 16 for one of the three funding categories under the fund. Further information and forms are available at www.moh.govt.nz