The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) recently hosted a dinner at the Katea Retreat in Tonga, celebrating the appointment of Hon. Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala as Regional Director for the Western Pacific at the World Health Organization (WHO). A number of family, friends, colleagues and distinguished guests gathered together to honour Dr Piukala's service and leadership to the Kingdom of Tonga over the past few decades, wishing him well as he steps into his next journey.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) is pleased to announce our new cohort of scholarship recipients. Yesterday evening, PMA held an event to celebrate scholarship recipients, acknowledging their achievement of receiving a PMA Pacific Health Education Scholarship. This year, twenty-one people were awarded with a scholarship across eleven categories, valued at $140,000. The scholarships are intended with the purpose of supporting Pacific students and health professionals with tuition and study-related costs.

More than 70 international scholars and state representatives recently gathered in Samoa as part of a meeting to talanoa about plans for a science academy in the Pacific region. Following the two day forum, the group of Pacific scholars agreed in a landmark decision to establish a Pacific Academy. Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Board Director, Sir Collin Tukuitonga will be leading the initiative on behalf of the International Science Council (ISC).

Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Chief Executive, Debbie Sorensen, wife to Peter Cann, a daughter, loving mother and grandmother, opens up about her personal breast cancer journey for the first time. With unwavering strength and resilience, Mrs Sorensen aims to raise awareness, in light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, about the importance of early breast cancer screenings and to shed light on the significance of self-care for women in Pacific communities.

At the request of the Cook Islands Government, the Pasifika Medical Association's (PMA) Medical Assistance Team (PACMAT) will deploy a five-member team to the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, from November 6th to November 10th. They will provide clinical oversight and medical assistance throughout the duration of the Meeting.

Melanie Viliamu-Iosefa Jackson holds the roles of Senior Accountant for PMA Group. As we celebrate Niue Language Week this week, Melanie takes the opportunity to share her journey of reconnecting with her Niuean roots. She hopes to strengthen her own cultural identity so that she can, in turn, pass it down to her daughter.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) will deploy a mental health specialist team to the Vila Central Hospital, Vanuatu, as part of the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS), funded by the New Zealand Ministry Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) congratulates PMA Life Member, Hon. Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, for his recent appointment as Regional Director for the Western Pacific at the World Health Organization (WHO). Health ministers and other senior officials from the Region’s Member States voted yesterday during the seventy-fourth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific.

Ephrim Aumua is Pasifika Medical Association Medical Assistance Team (PACMAT) Programme Manager for PMA Group. For Fiji Language Week, Ephrim reflects on his cultural journey, shaped in a culturally rich environment. His cultural identity is a blend of multiple influences rather than being firmly rooted in one specific culture.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) had the pleasure of catching up with Tongan artist, Benjamin Work, who has been commissioned to showcase his art at the PMA Group office in Mount Wellington, Auckland.

Ani Vave, Assistant Accountant at PMA Group, shares his passion for gana Tuvalu and provides insights into Tuvalu's culture and traditions, highlighting the obstacles gana Tuvalu encounters in safeguarding its cultural heritage.

Māori leader and champion of Māori health, Gwendoline (Gwen) Tepania-Palmer ONZM (Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Paoa), sadly passed away on 23 September 2023, aged 70. She was a cherished mother, grandmother, aunty, sister, friend and mentor, holding numerous directorship and leadership roles across the health sector.