Clinical Director of EPC, Dr Monica Nua-George, believes the success of the two events was due to their wellness approach.  

“Our intention was to support the overall wellbeing of our families and providing our clinic space to do this so families don’t just associate the clinic as a place for when you are sick, but a space for families to have wellness checks and focus on wellbeing." 

There were close to 300 vaccinations given across both events; the flu vaccination was requested the most, and the team provided 100 individual health checks. The request for diabetes checks were also high in demand. 

"Our largest vaccine was the flu vaccine – a lot of families have never had the flu vaccination before due to many reasons; one being lack of awareness, cost, fear and experiences of others. Families were open and felt more informed to have the flu vaccine during these events.  

"Health and diabetes checks for those who currently live with diabetes and those wanting to know if they had diabetes was the most common request during the events", says Dr Nua-George. 

EPC are looking to host more wellness events. Dr Nua-George shares that community events will always remain a part of their services, and that with each community outreach event comes new learnings. 

“The learnings from our community events thus far is that families enjoy seeing us in informal spaces and having the opportunity to engage in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, and families appreciate the hospitality that is provided." 

Etu Pasifika Canterbury continue to serve the community and expand their outreach with their holistic approach to health. The integrated model of care encourages individuals and families to see health as a positive part of life.