Working to improve and promote pacific health

There are about 14,000 Pacific people living in the Community and Public Health region (Canterbury, South Canterbury and the West Coast). This includes from Pacific nations such as Samoa, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Niue, Fiji, Tokelau and Tuvalu.

Pacific communities are built around the churches and ethnic councils that play an important part in community life. Many Pacific people have limited knowledge of the New Zealand health system such as the services that are available and how to access them.

Our Pacific Health Promoter Terisa Tagicakibau strives to work across the areas of health that affect Pacific communities. This includes leading the pasifika-focussed part of the All Right? campaign. She also acts as a link between the health system and Pacific ethnic communities.

• Download an infographic on factors affecting the health of Pacific people in Canterbury (Canterbury DHB Planning and Funding 2017).

Some examples of how Community and Public Health works with the Pacific community include:

• Building awareness in the Pacific ethnic communities to identify and respond to issues that affect their health.
• Co-ordinating public health education programmes for Pacific on relevant health issues, including nutrition and physical activity.
• Providing advice on issues that affect the health of local Pacific ethnic communities.
• Acting as a point of reference for health agencies wishing to communicate with different Pacific communities.
• Raising awareness for health professionals on Pacific cultural needs and perspectives.
• Disseminating relevant information and resources to the Pacific community, and ensuring that the available information provided is up-to-date and culturally appropriate.
• Ongoing networking and consultation with the Pacific ethnic communities, including attendance at Pacific ethnic councils and other interagency meetings.
• Working collaboratively with Pacific health organisations on relevant health promotion issues.

Community and Public Health also has a working group called Senibua that supports staff to implement effective action to improve Pacific health outcomes and reduce Pacific health inequities. This includes promoting Pacific Language Weeks during the year.

Documents

• Faiva Ora 2016–2021 National Pasifika Disability Plan (Ministry of Health 2017)
• Youth’12 The Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students in New Zealand: Results for Pacific young people (University of Auckland 2016)
• Family connectedness and substance use among Pacific youth (Health Promotion Agency 2014)
• Ala Mo’ui: Pathways to Pacific Health and Wellbeing 2014-2018 (Ministry of Health 2014)
• The Health of Pacific Adults and Children (Ministry of Health 2013)
• Tupu Ola Moui: Pacific Health Chart Book 2012 (Ministry of Health 2012)
• A Focus on Pacific Nutrition: Findings from the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey (Ministry of Health 2012)
• Health and Pacific Peoples in New Zealand (Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and Statistics NZ 2011)
• Sport and Recreation in New Zealand Pasifika Communities (Victoria University of Wellington 2010)
• Tuatua Tika: Straight talk about Pacific Peoples and Smoking (Tala Pasifika 2010)
• Pearls Unlimited: Pacific Peoples and Alcohol (ALAC 2009)
• Pacific Youth Health (Ministry of Health 2008)
• Pacific Peoples and Mental Health (Ministry of Health 2008)
• Pacific Child Health (Ministry of Health 2008)

Downloads

Download or order resources from the Community Health Information Centre. Some resources are available in several Pacific languages.

• B4 School Check: Turning 4? – Samoan
• Breastfeeding Your Baby – Samoan
• Cervical Screening: What Pacific Women Need to Know
• Meningococcal Disease: Know the Symptoms – Samoan

The Ministry of Health is no longer providing printed copies of some resources in Pacific languages.
Download and print Ministry of Health resources by Pacific language (HealthEd).

Links

• All Right?
• Ministry of Health
• Pegasus Health
• Le Va
• Tapuaki – for Pacific parents
• Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs

Website and app for Pacific parents

Tapuaki is a great website with information on pregnancy and parenting for Pacific families living in NZ. There is also a Tapuaki smartphone app!

You’ll find information about pregnancy and parenting to help you stay safe and healthy during your pregnancy and to care for baby when he or she arrives.

You can read translated content in Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island Māori and Niuean, Fijian, Gilbertese, Tuvaluan and Tokelauan.

The smartphone app is available on Google Play and iTunes.

Visit the Tapuaki website for more information.