Vilingatoni was the recipient of the 2021 PMA Dr Leopino Foliaki University of Auckland Scholarship. We caught up with him around his passion for medicine and health and how the scholarship helped him during his university studies.

Happy Youth Week and a special congratulations to one of our very own within the PMA family, Lorenzo Havili, who graduated over the weekend from the University of Otago with his Bachelor of Science. Lorenzo was a recipient of the inaugural Sorensen Scholarship in 2019 which helped support him throughout his studies.

Melania Watta is a Nurse at Etu Pasifika Auckland and finds that it is a career she enjoys due to her love for helping people. Melania started working with Etu Pasifika Auckland this year and is grateful for the opportunity to serve Pasifika communities and looks forward to learning and growing in her role as a nurse.

Akerita Alatimu is a Nurse at Etu Pasifika Canterbury and is driven by the purpose to serve Pacific communities. Through her role, she is grateful for the opportunity to advocate for her patients and providing the best care possible.

Falena Prouting is the Nursing Director at Etu Pasifika Auckland and is committed to serving the Pacific community. Falena makes it a priority to provide culturally sensitive care and support and through her strong commitment to serving others, she hopes to continue building strong relationships and trust with her patients to deliver the best care possible.

Seini Falefata is a highly experienced nurse who has dedicated her career to providing exceptional service to those in need. Seini is a Registered Nurse at Etu Pasifika Canterbury under the Ngalu Fanifo Mental Health service. She comes with a wealth of knowledge and expertise and has served on multiple emergency response deployments as part of PMA's PACMAT team; most recently part of the psychosocial team deployed to Vanuatu following the impact of cyclones in the region.

This week marks the first of the Pacific Language Weeks for 2023; this being Rotuman Language Week. PMA Member and ACEM Trainee Registrar, Dr Terry Fesaitu, is a proud Rotuman and is grateful to have been raised speaking the language and with Rotuman cultural values.

Easter is a time of reflection. Over last few months we have seen climate emergencies and disasters impact our country and the Pacific region, and we are grateful that we have been able to serve our communities, who have kept their spirits and their faith high through it all.

Ateliana Taufa, recipient of the inaugural Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Sorensen Scholarship, recently graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Oral Health. A former Ōtāhuhu College student, Taufa acknowledges her family, especially her grandmother, as the motivation behind her studies.

Former Ōtāhuhu College student and recipient of the 2021 PMA Papaali'i Dr Semisi Ma'ia'i University of Otago Scholarship, Monson Prouting, looks forward to entering the health workforce after having graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Otago.

The 2022 SunPix Awards saw a number of Pacific leaders honoured for their contribution to Pasifika communities in their respective fields. This year’s event saw two people presented with the Pasifika Futures (PFL) sponsored Pacific Health and Wellbeing Award; Tofilau Talalelei Taufale and Dr Soana Muimuiheata.

Tuvaluan PhD finalist and PMA Member, Jane Tafaaki, proudly utilised the Tuvaluan language in her research which focused on the lived experiences of rural Tuvaluans navigating the Aotearoa New Zealand healthcare system.