“This is shaping up to be our best conference ever,” says PMA chief executive Mrs Debbie Sorensen.

More than 300 people will be gathering at the conference, taking place from 30th September – 2nd October 2015, from New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

A one-day pre-conference workshop on Disaster Management Training will be held on Tuesday 29th September which will focus on the Cyclone Pam Vanuatu experiences and lessons learned from it.

“This pre-conference will showcase solutions to some of the Pacific’s most pressing problems during the aftermath of a natural disaster and will facilitate collaborations that can scale up innovations to dramatically impact people’s lives,” says Mrs Sorensen.

Other sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including clinical challenges for Pacific countries, traditional healing and the use of traditional medicine, Whānau Ora impact on NZ families with high needs and the health outlook on the NZ seasonal worker’s scheme.

Mrs Sorensen says the conference will provide a forum for health professionals, community and social service workers and stakeholders, to discuss local and regional issues that influence the health and wellbeing of Pacific families – with an emphasis on mental health and primary care.

The themes are ‘Culture, Community and Healing’ with a focus and Child, Youth and Family Mental Health and Primary Care in the Pacific.

The PMA conference is the largest meeting of Pacific health workers and professionals from around the region.

Previous conferences have been held in Auckland, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa.

ENDS.

For more information contact Angie Enoka, Communications Manager on 021 809 137 or angie@pasifikafutures.co.nz