Dr Kirsten Finucane, who recently retired as Head of Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery at Starship and Auckland Hospitals after a distinguished 28-year career, will be speaking at the pre-conference Global Health Symposium (GHS) during the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) 2024 conference. The symposium is held on November 25th at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre in Christchurch.

The Global Health Symposium is set to convene medical and health professionals from across the Pacific region, aimed at providing a platform for robust discussions and knowledge exchange on global health challenges and innovations. With a focus on regional initiatives, the Symposium will precede the annual Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Conference as one of the pre-conference workshops, taking place on Monday 25th November, 2024, at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre in Christchurch.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group remains deeply committed to empowering the health aspirations of our regional partners. This commitment was seen with the recent deployment of an adult cardiology visiting medical team to Samoa.

The Pasifika Medical Association Medical Assistance Team (PACMAT) have recently returned from their mission in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, where they supported the local health workforce for the 53rd annual Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) leaders' meeting, held on August 26th - 30th 2024.

Rasela-Joy Gibson is committed to inspiring more Pacific students to pursue careers in health and to explore the diverse opportunities within physiotherapy. Hailing from Gataivai, Savaii, and Salua, Manono in Samoa, as well as Ashburton, New Zealand, she currently leads the Allied Health Inpatient Team at Kenepuru Community Hospital, Capital & Coast, and Hutt Valley.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group reflects on the stories of families from the Pacific who traveled to Suva through the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme’s (NZMTS) innovative project, the Uto Bulabula – Healthy Hearts initiative, funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and coordinated by the PMA.

For World Physiotherapy Day, Eti Televave reflects on his journey as a physiotherapist, facing unique challenges and celebrating triumphs in serving the Pacific and Māori community.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group continues to serve Pacific countries by providing access to lifesaving medical treatment. Through the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS), funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Uto Bulabula – Healthy Hearts initiative was launched in July of this year, facilitating pediatric cardiac surgeries for fifteen Pacific children.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group joins Aotearoa New Zealand in expressing their heartfelt condolences to the family of the Māori King, Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, who peacefully passed away at the age of 69 last week. Thousands have gathered at Tūrangawaewae Marae to pay their respects to the Kīngitanga, including guests from around the Pacific region, remembering him for his legacy of social justice and advocacy.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group has partnered with the Australian Government to deliver a three-year programme, the Ngalu Fānifo Regional Project, in Tonga and Vanuatu, aiming to improve mental health and wellbeing by strengthening the capacity of health and community providers to provide mental health care.

A transformative four-week training programme, 'Partners in Gastroenterology Capacity Building', took place in Suva, Fiji. Organised by the Australia and New Zealand Gastroenterology International Training Association -the programme aims to enhance clinical skills in endoscopy, colonoscopy, and conducting safe, hygienic, and effective procedures.

The Pasifika Medical Association Group (PMA), through the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS) which is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is pleased to have supported Samoa's Ministry of Health in emergency response preparation, through the Emergency Life Support (ELS) training programme last month.