Phillip Vaifale, a Health Coach at Etu Pasifika Canterbury, has been a dedicated sportsman for many years of his life. For Men's Health Week 2023, Vaifale weighs in on the importance of mental health and how it affects our overall well-being, aligning well with Etu Pasifika's integrated model of care.

GP Fellow at Etu Pasifika Canterbury, Dr Sam Ah Mu, shares his thoughts, feelings, tips and tricks about health and what that looks like for him - even sharing what his go-to breakfast choice is! Through his role, he is able to support his patients with their health and wellbeing. Dr Ah Mu kicks off the first of our profiles for Men's Health Week 2023.

Across Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group and its entities, we are grateful that we work in an environment that is enriched entirely in Pacific culture and values. This week the nation celebrated Samoa Language Week 2023 with the theme ‘Mitamita i lau gagana, maua’a lou fa’asinomaga’, which means ‘Be proud of your language and grounded in your identity’.

During the month of May, Etu Pasifika Canterbury (EPC) hosted two wellness events at the clinic as part of their Family Wellness Month. Practitioners saw a large number of individuals and intergenerational families, providing them with essential vaccinations, health checks and access to a health improvement practitioner (HIP) to support families with health plans.

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.

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.

The Etu Pasifika Canterbury team recently partnered with ScreenSouth Ltd to host the Mana Pasifika Women's Health Day, providing women in the community with a space to talanoa about their health while also accessing resources and health checks free of barriers.

The team at Etu Pasifika Canterbury will be running a vaccination clinic this week and next to encourage those under 18 to get vaccinated; the clinic is an opportunity for people to get up to date with all their immunisations including the flu, MMR and Covid-19 shot.

Etu Pasifika Canterbury, in collaboration with Screen South Limited, are hosting their first Pasifika Women's Health Day this Saturday 15th April in Christchurch.

On Friday 27th January 2023, multiple international flights were diverted from Auckland due to the floods. Among these flights was an Air New Zealand flight from Tonga carrying 300 passengers, which was diverted to Christchurch. Pasifika Futures Ltd (PFL), the Pacific Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, and Etu Pasifika Christchurch mobilised quickly alongside Air New Zealand staff and local community groups to support passengers with food, accommodation and necessities.

The New Year Honours list for 2023 saw a number of Pacific leaders recognised for their contribution to the Pacific and wider New Zealand community. Among the esteemed recipients are two of Etu Pasifika Christchurch's Board Directors and Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) members; Dr Apisalome Talemaitoga (ONZM), for his services to health and the Pacific community, and Father Paulo Filoialii (MNZM), for his services to the Pacific community.

October signifies New Zealand’s national Breast Cancer Awareness month and in acknowledgement of the cause, Etu Pasifika Christchurch recently hosted an in-house event with NZ Screen South Ltd (Screen South) to promote awareness around breast screening.