KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dr Colin Tukuitonga
Dr Colin Tukuitonga took up the position of Chief Executive of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs in June 2007. Prior to this Dr Tukuitonga was the Head of Pacific and International Health at the University of Auckland. He 
has also been an advisor to the World Health Organisation and Secretariat of the Pacific community in health issues in the Pacific region. He has also held positions at the Fiji School of Medicine, the Auckland Area Health Board and Northern Regional Health Authority.
Dr Tukuitonga helped to establish the Department of Maori and Pacific Health at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. He has been Head of the Surveillance and Prevention of Chronic Diseases at the World Health Organisation and Director of Public Health and Medical Officer of Health for New Zealand.
As Chief Executive of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, Dr Colin Tukuitonga is responsible for:
- The carrying out of the functions and duties of the Ministry, including those imposed by Acts or by policies of the Government.
- The tendering of advice to the appropriate Minister and other Ministers of the Crown.
- The general conduct of the Ministry.
- The efficient, effective and financial management of the activities of the Ministry.
Fepulea'i Margie Apa
Director, Change and Development
Ministry of Health
Fepulea'i Margie Apa is currently Director, Change and Development at the Ministry of Health, New Zealand. Reporting to the Director-General, Margie's role is to implement a programme of organisation development and change management that implements a review of the Ministry of Health, which was conducted in December 2006. Margie's background is in public policy, having worked for the State Services Commission early in her career, change management at the Health Funding Authority and accident insurance policy at the Department of Labour.
Before joining the Ministry of Health, Margie was General Manager, Pacific Health at Counties Manukau District Health Board with funding, planning and service development responsibilities in improving the health of Pacific populations in the South Auckland area. Margie is married, has two children, enjoys sport and carries an honorific or chief title from her home village of Sale'aula, Savai'i, Samoa.
Stephen McKernan
Stephen McKernan is the Director General of Health and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Health, a role he has held since 31 July 2006. As Director General he is the Government’s principa
l advisor on health and disability matters. The Director General has the key strategic role in leading the development and performance of the New Zealand health system. This includes the negotiation of, and allocation of $12 billion of health expenditure and the monitoring of this through the 21 District Health Boards.
Stephen has held senior executive roles in the New Zealand Health system for the past 18 years. He has been a Chief Executive since 1998 with his first Chief Executive appointment being Hutt Valley Health and subsequently Chief Executive of Hutt Valley DHB in 2000. In 2002 he was appointed Chief Executive of Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB). Counties Manukau DHB is one of the country’s largest DHBs serving a high needs population with an annual budget of $950m and which employs some 5500 staff.
Stephen has a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University and a Diploma in Public Health from the Royal Society of Health. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives.
Fa'amatuainu Tino Pereira
Fa'amatuainu Tino Pereira is a prominent and experienced Pacific consultant on public sector issues and a leading conference facilitator. He is Managing Director of Niu Vision Group, a specialist consultancy firm based in Wellington, and an experienced governance practitioner with membership of many government Boards, Committees and NGOs.
Fa'amatuainu is a key advisor to many government departments. For more than 15 years he was involved in New Zealand's broadcasting sector as a journalist, broadcaster, and commentator on Pacific issues. He has had significant community involvement for more than two decades including community leadership responsibilities. He holds the chiefly orator tittle of Faʼamatuainu from Lufilufi in Samoa.
Fa'amatuainu Tino Pereira will be the overall facilitator throughout the Fono.
Dr Joe Williams
Chairperson
Auckpac PHO
Dr Joe Williams is a GP & Medical Director of Mt Wellington
Accident and Family Health Centre. He is also Chairperson of AuckPac,
a Pacific PHO. AuckPac through its eight GP member clinics and health
promotion organizations provide primary health care services to its enrolled population within the Auckland region.
Dr Williams has worked with the World Health Organisation (WHO) from 1994-2003. He was Chairperson of the Western Pacific Regional Committee in 1994 & a member of the WHO Executive Board from 1997-1999. He introduced the Filariasis Eradication Programme in the Cook Islands in 1968 which eventually became the pioneering programme for the WHO Global programme for the elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (PELF).
He was a former Minister of Health and Minster of Education 1974-1978, Minister of Health and Minister of Tourism & Transport 1994 – 1997 and a former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands.He is currently doing a study on Eczema as well as Prostate Cancer in Pacific men at Mt Wellington Accident and Family Health Centre.
Dr Joe Williams will be the facilitator for the “Creating Linkages across the Pacific” session on Thursday 28 February 2008.
Dr Ate Moala
Dr Ate Moala is a Tongan Public Health Physician, involved in Pacific health development, research, and teaching Pacific health for a number of years. She works as a clinician and researcher at the primary care and public health interface. Dr Moala was President of Pasifika Medical Association in 2001 and is the Pasifika Medical Association representative on the NZ Guidelines Group Board.
Dr Ate Moala will be the facilitator for the “Successful Pacific Providers” session on Thursday 28 February 2008.
Dr Apisalome Sikaidoka Talemaitoga
Dr Api Talemaitoga is a Fijian General Practitioner and Clinical Director at the Pacific health clinic in Christchurch.
Prior to this Dr Talemaitoga practiced at Christchurch
hospital and the Colonial War Hospital in Suva, Fiji. He has also served as the private physician for senior officials in Fiji. Dr Talemaitoga graduated from Otago University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery; in 1996 he also completed a diploma of Paediatrics through Auckland University. Dr Talemaitoga is currently the Treasurer of the Pasifika Medical Association and a member of the National Health Committee.
Dr Apisalome Talemaitoga will be the facilitator for the “Responsive Health Services” session on Friday 29 February 2008.
Olo Elise Puni
Olo Elise Puni is a Board Member of AuckPac PHO, Chief Executive Officer of Health Star Pacific Trust, Trustee of Southern Healthcare Trust, Chairman of Penina Health Trust, and Director of Northern Region Health Consortium Limited. He is a Pacific community leader from Savaii, Samoa, who has over
ten years experience in the health sector.
Olo Elise Puni will be the facilitator for the “Church and Community Programmes” session on Friday 29 February 2008.
Pefi Kingi
Pefi Kingi works for NIU Development Incorporated, which aims to prevent problem gambling and minimise gambling harms amongst Pacific communities through primary health promotion. NIU Development also organises and hosts the National Pacific Problem Gambling Providers Fono. Pefi has also published research on Pacific people growing up and being socialized in New Zealand entitled “Mai he fonua (from the placenta): socialization of me/we.
Pefi Kingi will be the facilitator for the “Effective Intersectoral Action” session on Friday 29 February 2008.
Dr Roro Daniel
Secretary of Health, Te Marae Ora
Ministry of Health,
Cook Islands
Dr Roro Daniel currently leads the Cook Islands Ministry of Health, as well as being the Chair of both the Cook Islands health research committee and Pacific Health Research Council. He has over 30 years of clinical and
health management expertise with a Masters in Public Health from the University of Hawaii
(Health service administration and planning) and has led the development of policy for the
prevention of communicable and non communicable diseases in the Cook Islands. His
interests in gathering research based evidence and developing health research capacity in
the Pacific region have, and continue to inform the prioritisation of resources in the Cook
Islands including focused attention on public health and environmental health issues.
Dr Roro Daniel will speak on how New Zealand and the Cook Islands can work together
Mrs Neti Herman
Ministry of Health
Cook Islands
Neti Herman is the Chief Nursing officer in the Ministry of Health in the Cook Islands, but is now currently based in Auckland pursuing a PhD at the University of Auckland. She is a NZ Registered Nurse and
Midwife with an Advanced Diploma in Nursing. She is also a graduate of the University of New South Wales with a BHA and MHPEd. Her 37 years of work experience has involved nursing in Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, and the Cook Islands. She has also taken up the challenge of being the Director for Women, Youth and Sports with the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Cook Islands.
Neti Herman will speak on her experiences of working in the Cook Islands and the challenges in creating and maintaining links between New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
Mrs Debbie Sorensen
Director Health
Specialists Ltd
Debbie Sorenson is a registered Nurse with extensive experience as a Senior Manager and advisor to Governments. She is currently one of the Directors for Health Specialists Ltd – an international health
This organization has undertaken assignments for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, World Bank, Australian Agency for International Development, Public Service Commission Cook Islands, Ministry of Health Nauru, Cook Islands and Tonga, Department for International Development England, Department of Conservation Australia and New Zealand Agency for International Development. The Directors are Dr Kiki Maoate Paediatric Surgeon and Mrs Debbie Sorenson.
Debbie Sorenson is also the Project Director for the NZ Medical Treatment Scheme (NZAID) and an advisor to the Paediatric Oncology Steering Committee. She is an advisor to the Minister of Health and Deputy Prime Minister in the Kingdom of Tonga.
In New Zealand health services, Debbie Sorenson has held senior positions at an executive level, including the first Chief Advisor, Pacific Health in the Ministry of Health, and General Manger, Pacific Health at Counties Manukau District Health Board. In addition, she was Chief Executive of Pasifika Medical Association.
“ORDINARY PEOPLE DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS”
The ability to provide advice, share skills and experiences and work in the Pacific region has provided a richness of experience and adventure. It has humbled us as we have observed the heroic work of our friends and colleagues. This presentation will discuss the variety of ways in which skills and experiences in the health sector, primarily learnt and developed in New Zealand, can be shared with peers and colleagues in the wider Pacific region. It also examines the learning's from Pacific countries which can be applied to our work in New Zealand. We will examine the challenges that Pacific countries face in meeting the health needs of their populations and how linking and connecting colleagues in the Pacific with peers in New Zealand, Australia and other Pacific countries can support the extraordinary work being undertaken in the region.
This presentation will profile some of the experiences of “Ordinary People” we have met who are undertaking “Extraordinary Things” or was it “Extraordinary People undertaking Ordinary Things.”
Dr Francis Agnew
Clinical Director/Consultant Psychiatrist, Pacific Mental Health and Addiction Services
Waitemata DHB.
Dr Francis Agnew is a Cook Islander and Clinical Director/Consultant Psychiatrist, Pacific Mental Health Services, Auckland District Health Board. Francis plays a significant leadership role in Pacific mental
health. He is the only Pacific psychiatrist in New Zealand working with Pacific communities. In 2002 Francis stepped down as service clinical director of the Regional Alcohol and other Drugs Service (RADS), Waitemata DHB (New Zealandʼs largest alcohol and drug service) to take up his current positions. This move marked his strong commitment and willingness to serve Pacific communities.
Dr Francis Agnew will launch Le Va in conjunction with the Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, Fuimaono Karl Pulotu-Endemann, and Dr Monique Faleafa.
Dr Monique Faleafa
Manager Le Va
Te Pou
Monique Faleafa has just been appointed National Manager of the newly established Le Va. Le Va is the Pacific unit within Te Pou and focuses on Pacific mental health workforce development, research
and information.
With a background in Clinical Psychology and research, Monique has worked with Pacific young people in the social services, youth justice and mental health sectors for the past ten years. More recently she has held a position at the University of Auckland as a Pacific Clinical Consultant for child and adolescent mental health workforce development. While her surname adopted from her husband is of Tongan descent (Faleafā from Kolomotu'a, Tongatapu), Monique is of Samoan descent (Niumata) from Lano village on Savaii and Fusi village at Safata on Upolu.
Lita Foliaki
Programme Manager
Waitemata District Health Board
Lita Foliaki is Tongan and is a Programme Manager at the Waitemata District Health Board. She has ten years of involvement in the health sector, with responsibility for the funding of Pacific providers
and Pacific services within non-Pacific providers. Lita has also been involved in the development of Pacific courses at the University of Auckland, and Auckland College of Education (now a part of the University of Auckland), specifically in social work and education.
Lita Foliaki will discuss service provision and quality of care issues for Pacific providerʼs.
Viliami Toafa
General Manager
West Fono Health Trust
Viliami Toafa is General Manager at West Fono Health Trust in West Auckland, one of the very first Pacific healthcare providers in New Zealand. In his three years at the helm he has taken the organisation through a number of changes including a new board, new
management, new PHO and new Trust - all the while generating strong business growth.
Viliami studied at Tonga High School and Timaru Boys before going to the University of Otago. Once he'd completed his postgraduate degree in Public Health, he worked as an assistant health researcher with the University of Otago before joining Pasifika Healthcare or West Fono as its known now.
Viliami Toafa will speak on his vision for West Fono and his planned development path.
Paul Lavulo
Chief Executive
Langimalie PHO
Paul Lavulo is the CEO of Langimalie, a Tongan community owned, Pacific Primary Health Organisation (PHO). He holds a Masters degree in Economics, and has also been involved in the National Pacific Gambling Project, which focuses on reducing and minimising problem gambling harms amongst Pacific communities. Paul Lavulo will speak on his path in growing successful and sustainable Pacific providers.
Larissa Samuelu
Regional Service Coordinator
Northland Pacific Islands Charitable Trust Inc
Larissa Samuelu Regional Service Coordinator Northland Pacific Islands Charitable Trust Inc Larissa Samuelu role as Regional Service Coordinator involves being responsible for Pacific families throughout the Northland region and also to coordinate and provide support for our Pacific people.
The A.I.G.A concept is a model that was created in order to have transparency for Pacific peoples throughout the country. A.I.G.A is an acronym “All Islanders Getting Active” which mirrors the specifications of all Government agencies to initially recognize wellbeing, health and lifestyles of Pacific Islanders. We consider sports in our Pacific world to be key to changing lifestyle patterns. More and more of our Pacific people are participating in sports, and we in Northland have found this to be an effective way to engage with Pacific people.
The A.I.G.A concept is a skeleton model that can be utilized by all regions as it identifies specific regional needs and builds relationships with key funders to encourage sustainability for their area. In hindsight this model reflects how our people work, think and live day to day demonstrating a holistic view of how a Pacific person operates. It will in future promote transparency and encourage systems implementation and sustainability. Many key agencies are now involved in this model since it's release in May 2007 and we hope its success continues into the future.
Dr Teuila Percival
Consultant Paediatrician
Kidz First Children's Hospital
Dr Teuila Percival is a Samoan Consultant Paediatrician at KidzFirst Children's Hospital in South Auckland. Her particular interests are in Pacific people's health, child abuse and community paediatrics.
Auckland University Medical School and completed her paediatric training in Auckland. Teuila has a wealth of clinical and governance experience, including being the previous President of the Pasifika Medical Association from 2003 to 2005, and a current member of the New Zealand HRC Pacific Health Research Committee. She is a strong advocate for the evidence-based design, implementation, and evaluation of children's health services in New Zealand.
Dr Teuila Percival will present on Pacific childrenʼs priority health needs and the importance of research to inform and address these needs.
Dr Temo K. Waqanivalu
Nutrition and Physical Activity Officer
World Health Organisation
Dr Temo Waqanivalu is currently the Nutrition and Physical Activity Officer in the Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Unit of the WHO South Pacific Office in Suva, Fiji which technically covers all the Pacific Island countries. From 1994 after graduation from medical school he has been working in the Ministry of Health of the Fiji Islands and has progressed through the ranks of Public Health, last holding the post of National Advisor NCD before moving to WHO in December 2005. He has also held part-time lecturer positions at the Fiji School of Medicine.
In his current position he is responsible for public health support and advice to the Pacific Island Countries in the areas of NCD (mainly Diet, Physical Activity and Alcohol), Health Promotion and Mental Health.
Dr Temo Waqanivalu will discuss the role of the World Health Organisation, the Pacific Islands Non-Communicable Disease Framework, and working together with New Zealand on key issues that face Pacific people.
Aseta Redican
General Manager Pacific Health
Auckland District Health Board
HEALTHY VILLAGE ACTION ZONES
The Healthy Village Actions Zones (HVAZ) is an innovative framework for collaborative action by key stakeholders and Pacific communities, joining together to improve health outcomes for Pacific peoples.
The HVAZ framework is informed by the best elements and learnings from previous community and church-based health initiatives, Pacific concepts of community well-being, and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities for Pacific peoples in the current environment characterised by District Health Boards, Primary Health Organisations and local governments taking greater responsibilities for the health and well-being of the populations they serve.
The starting point of the Healthy Village Action Zones framework is the Pacific population group whose high health needs is clearly documented and where an active community readiness is demonstrated through church groups (over 80% of Pacific peoples belong to a Christian church, Statistics New Zealand 2007), and the future development, responsibility and sustainability of the model will be through existing service providers (PHOs), other providers, sectors and agencies.
There is already much strength and leadership in the Pacific community. HVAZ uses this platform to support and build their capacity, capabilities and to encourage Pacific people to take ownership/responsibility for their own health.
As the enabler of HVAZ, ADHB provides the infrastructure and facilitates the interactions between the community groups (churches) with the health care providers, PHOs, other sectors and agencies.
This presentation will look at the building blocks underpinning the HVAZ framework, and the new challenges and opportunities for church-based initiatives operating in the current environment.
Tupetoa Ronald Tanielu
Catalyst Solutions Ltd
Samoan-born Tupetoa Ronald 'Ronji' Tanielu is the first to admit he
was not the best student at high school. But with the support of his
family, his community and his faith he found a direction for his life. Ronji
shares Samoan and Tokelauan heritage. “I reached a point where
I could chose one of two paths for my life. One was with education and the opportunity to make a real difference for the Pacific Island community.The other was not so positive.”
Ronji chose education and in May 2002, graduated after six years of study with an LLB (law degree), a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Political Studies and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Political Studies.
Ronji is a youth leader for the group ʻSOULJARSʼ in Mangere and states that his support from them and from God gave him direction and purpose, and that education was a significant part of that.
Ronji previously worked in the tertiary sector as a Pacific Liaison Officer for AUT, encouraging young Pacific students to choose education. He has now set up a consultancy and is self-employed.
Tupetoa Ronji Tanielu will present on his experiences with Pacific youth and Church programmes.
Rachael Lila
Programme Manager
Counties Manukau District Health Board
Rachael Lila is the Programme Manager for LotuMoui. One of
Rachaelʼs key roles is to lead the LotuMoui team in working in
partnership with Pacific Church Communities to ensure that they have access to information and support towards healthier living. Prior to this role Rachael has held a number of management roles throughout her 7 years at Counties Manukau DHB. She is interested in all aspects of health for Pacific families and in particular the impact of chronic diseases on Pacific people with a focus on diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Rachael is of Samoan ethnicity and shares the vision of health and prosperity for our Pacific people in Counties Manukau.
PASEFIKA LOTUMOUI PROGRAMME
Pacific People see their health in the context of a balance of physical, spiritual and intellectual wellbeing. If our purpose is to look after the physical health of the individual, working together with the churches which look after the spiritual health of our people is the way forward to a healthier future.
The overall aim of LotuMoui is to change mindsets towards healthy living and encourage a collective approach towards health and wellbeing. Under the LotuMoui scheme, churches in the Counties Manukau district are funded to implement health programmes tailored to the needs of their congregations. With 50 Pacific churches actively participating in LotuMoui since 2005 the rewards and achievements made by all churches have set a positive tone for our future generations.
Haikiu Hakatangihenua Baiabe
Project Manager, Pacific Island Heartbeat,
Heart Foundation
Haikiu Baiabe comes from the islands of Rennell and Bellona – Polynesian raised atolls south of the Solomon Islands. Haikiu graduated with a Master of Arts degree (major in youth leadership)
from La Sierra University Riverside California USA in 1997.
He worked as youth worker for many years in the Pacific region and for three years he was Associate Youth Director for the South Pacific Division of the Adventist church in Sydney Australia.
Working cross-culturally has been his area of interest over the years. For three years, Haikiu was secretary to a number government departments with the Solomon Islands government before migrating to New Zealand in 2001. As employee of the Heart Foundation, Haikiu piloted the first smoking cessation training programme for Pacific health professionals nationally. He continues to mentor Pacific cessation facilitators and practitioners in New Zealand. Haikiu also provides smoking cessation training for the governments of Tuvalu and Samoa under NZAID.
Currently the Project Manager for Pacific Islands Heartbeat, Haikiuʼs key service roles include the training and development of the Pacific workforce in nutrition, physical activity, smokefree promotion and smoking cessation.
AN EVALUATION SUMMARY OF THE HEALTH PROMOTING CHURCH (HPC) PROGRAMME
The challenges to successful service delivery at the church setting must be considered seriously if we are to make a difference to the health of our Pacific people at the com¬munity level. Church profiles, reporting, church needs, komiti training and sustainability issues to assess the churchʼs readiness to function independently are among issues highlighted in the Health Promoting Church Programme (HPC) evaluation for consideration for future programme development.
The Health Promoting Church (HPC) Programme by the Pacific Islands Heartbeat of the Heart Foundation is funded by the Ministry of Health and was launched in 2004. The programme is aimed at making a contribution in improving the heart-health needs of the Pacific people at community level through nutrition, physical activity and smokefree training.
It is also an attempt to provide a community development model for Pacific peoples in meeting their health needs. To date the programme has involved 25 churches in Auckland and 6 churches in Wellington.
The Auckland HPC Programme has been evaluated by the University of Auckland (2007 – 2008). The focus of the evaluation was to assess the approach for appropriateness, relevance, responsiveness, impact and sustainability. This presentation will highlight important considerations and recommendations that could be helpful in informing similar initiatives for the Pacific community.
VAIFAGALOA NASERI-MOEPOGAI
Service Manager
Health Star Pacific
Vaifagaloa (Vai ) is a Samoan woman. She is a NZ trained registered nurse & midwife who has had 30 years of nursing & midwifery experi¬ences both in New Zealand & Samoa. She is also an active member of the Samoan Nurses Association of NZ & currently represents the Samoan nurses at the newly established Pacific Nurses Section of the NZNO.
Vai has also been a Nurse Tutor at the Samoa School of Nursing before returning to NZ in 1984. Vai, was the first ʻPacific Community Nurse to work for West Auckland Health Fono in 1990 and for the Pacific community in West Auckland, it was the first of its kind for Auckland region. The success of the work that she did was reflected by the growth of West Fono Health, from a one nurse community drop–in clinic, to one of the main Pacific Health providers in the Auckland region.
To date, she is the Chairperson for the Pacific Women Advisory Group for the National Cervical Screening Programme and is currently working at Health Star Pacific as one of its Nurse Leaders and its Service managers.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP – COMMUNITY FIRST
In 2002 Health Star Pacific (HSP) embarked on a new way forward to building good working relationships with Pacific communities it was serving. The emergence of new providers and other government agencies at the time all wanting to work with the same communities had an impact on the community's reluctance to participate and ultimately on HSPʼs ability to meet its contractual obligations.
Hence the “dawning” of the Community Partnership Model as the cornerstone for building good strong relationships with leaders in the Pacific community and the Primary Health sector in the Auckland region.
The most recent Community Partnership event held in November 2007 drew more than 500 people representing 190 different community organizations and groups.
The point of difference with the Community Partnership Model is the focus on community: Community Partnership - Community First.
Dr Debbie Ryan
Chief Advisor Pacific, Ministry of Health
Born in Samoa, Debbie attended Otago University and graduated with a BSc and MBChB in 1990. She then spent 4 years in Glen Innes Auckland as a partner in General Practice. Prior to joining the Ministry, Debbie was the CEO at South Seas Healthcare , where she had a key leadership role in developing the Pacific health provider from a small general practice with one general practitioner, to the largest Pacific primary care provider in New Zealand. She also led the project team to establish the first Primary Health Organisation, TaPasefika Health Trust, which brings together three Pacific health providers under one umbrella. Debbie was a Director of the Counties Manukau District Health Board 2000-2001. She has been a Senior Lecturer Department of Medicine and Community Health at the University of Auckland, and has been involved in a range of health committees and Pacific medical associations.Debbie brings to her role a knowledge of the Pacific health sector and a commitment to improving health outcomes for Pacific peoples and communities in New Zealand.