PMA nominates Tongan surgeon to participate in International Visitor Leadership Program

Updates / News, 27 Nov 23

Tongan Surgeon and PMA Member, Dr Alamea Aholelei, was nominated by the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) to be part of the recent International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in the United States. The distinguished program had its very first Pacific cohort, which saw a number of Pacific leaders from around the region come together to learn and talanoa around the theme of 'Public Health and Climate Crisis'. Dr Aholelei shared about the journey she embarked on over the three week program and the inspiration she took from the experience.

The IVLP is a professional exchange program under the U.S. Department of State, with participants nominated and then selected each year by staff at U.S. Embassies around the world.

Nominated by PMA, Dr Aholelei is a General Surgeon based at Vaiola Hospital in Nuku'alofa in her homeland of Tonga. Reflecting on the program, she says it was eye opening to learn about the impact of climate change on health related issues.

"There have been studies done by the University of Maryland and UCLA which show the dramatic effects of climate change on end stage renal and non-communicable diseases and that caught my attention. We learned that there is a 30% mortality increase in people with end stage renal failure because of the changes in climate; 70% of that 30 are people who have diabetes.

"Coming from the Pacific islands where our diabetic prevalence is 18% to 20%, I think it's extremely important that we open our eyes and think about the way climate change is going to affect our people."

Taking part in the IVLP has encouraged Dr Aholelei to keep the conversation going regarding the intersection of climate change and health.

"I want to use this training as a microphone for public health. I come from a clinical context but we need to help public health send that message across to the public. We need more people to take note of the effects of climate change and what we can do to prevent that.

"The Pacific is feeling the effects of climate change but we have the smallest carbon footprint, and if it really is affecting our health, then it's something that we need to drastically put out to the public and start paying more attention to."

Dr Aholelei expresses gratitude to PMA for nominating her for the IVLP.

"This is a prestigious program and I wasn't even aware of it until I was nominated. I learned so much and I feel so fortunate and really grateful to PMA for nominating me."

Dr Aholelei's experience at the IVLP has motivated her to look into prospective research around the changing heat and how it affects diabetic sepsis and diabetic patients.

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