The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) held its Fourth Annual Charity Ball last week at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland, bringing together 500 guests from around the country. The event featured a blend of live music, fine dining, stories from the families of scholarship namesakes and past recipients, and a highly-anticipated auction which raised $180,000 towards PMA’s Pacific Education Fund.

Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) recently deployed a team of five paediatric surgical specialists  to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva, Fiji, through the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS), which is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists illustrates the high prevalence of Pacific representation in the mental health statistics in Aotearoa as reported by the Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry – Pacific Report.

Matangaro Nanai, a proud Cook Islander by birth, holds the position of Human Resource Manager at PMA Group. She also embraces motherhood, caring for three beautiful tamariki. For Cook Islands Language Week, Matangaro shares her story of reconnecting with her reo Kūki ‘Āirani.

It was a poignant time of celebration and reflection when I attended the Tonga Medical Association Conference celebrating their 80th Anniversary in July. It was an excellent presentation of history, progress, success and forward thinking approach to the future.

The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Toakase Fakakovikaetau, a pioneering paediatric specialist who dedicated her life to serving Tonga and the Pacific region. Dr Fakakovikaetau's efforts to ensure the best health outcomes for children and their families, especially in the area of rheumatic heart disease and paediatric oncology, will be remembered as part of her legacy of service.

An article from the New Zealand Medical Journal (NZMJ) suggests that in the decade that followed the year 2011, smoking cessation methods were delivered in a ‘business as usual’ approach which only benefited some sectors of society that did not include Māori.

In 2018, Dr Peter Benny and his family tragically lost their family member, Kain Parsons, after he was knocked out at a charity boxing event. A viewpoint article that was released in the latest edition of the New Zealand Medical Journal’s (NZMJ) discusses the ethics and consequences that surround charity boxing events.

Dr. Veisinia Matoto holds the roles of Clinical Director and Country Liaison for Tonga at the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA), in addition to serving as the President of the Tonga Medical Association (TMA). To commemorate the 80th Conference anniversary of TMA, she takes the opportunity to share her reflections on her medical journey and the significance of TMA.

Efforts made in to mitigating the undeniable rise of youth vaping is assessed by Bridget Rose (Te Whatu Ora: Northland District Health Board), Martin Witt (Cancer Society of New Zealand) and Professor Janet Hoek (University of Otago) in the latest issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal (NZMJ). 

The Pacific Eye Care Society (PacEYES) recently hosted its biennial Pacific Eye Health Conference with the theme 'Eye care for all' in Suva, Fiji. Clinicians from 13 Oceania countries gathered to discuss key issues in the eye health sector and expand their clinical expertise to enhance accessible and quality eye care across the region.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN), a federation comprising more than 130 nurses associations from across the globe and representing more than 28 million nurses worldwide, held it’s 29th ICN Congress, from the 1st to the 5th of July in Montreal, Canada.