“When I did a check in with our staff, they were very positive and grateful to be working and to be able to provide for their families by serving our communities,” Mr Misa says.

“They were also grateful to have a second family at Etu Pasifika. The positive impact of their mental wellbeing is reflected in the work that they do and the service that they provide.”

Christchurch went into Alert Level 2 at the beginning of this week and then level 1 from yesterday morning. Mr Misa says his clinic ensured that their Pacific families were well supported and had the necessary tools to keep themselves safe. The Etu Pasifika team also provided welfare packages and food parcels to families in need.

He says he is grateful that his team could continue providing extra services to the community, including their inaugural Women’s Health Day, which started last week. It was a day focused on women’s health, where women could come into the clinic for their cervical smear tests, morning tea, and receive gift packages.

“The women in our Pacific communities work hard to look after their families and usually will not prioritise time to look after themselves and their own health.

Based on their feedback, we learnt they welcomed a day where they could come into the clinic and we would focus on them, get their smear tests and a health check-up” says Mr Misa.

Twenty-five women from Christchurch came into the clinic. The event was a success and the clinic will be organising another Women’s Health Day next weekend.

‘We wanted to acknowledge our Pacific women – our mothers, our sisters, our aunties, our grandmothers – and remind them how important they are to our community.”

#pmafamily #pmaunite

Date: Friday 19 February 2021