Procare's Pacific Advisory Committee farewlls a dedicated Pacific health champion

ProCare’s Pacific advisory committee, known as ProPa, has farewelled Fuimaono Ben Taufua (MNZM) a champion for Pacific health. Ben has committed over 20 years as a member of the ProPa committee, ensuring the health needs of the Pacific population are considered and an equity lens is applied to new programmes and initiatives.

With over 100,000 Pacific patients enrolled in ProCare network practices across Tāmaki Makaurau the guidance of ProPa has been instrumental in pushing for a focus on equitable health outcomes for the Pacific population.

ProCare’s Senior Advisor for Pacific Health, Vivien Pole, says, receiving the New Zealand order of Merit for services to the Pacific community in 2015 is a testament of the commitment and passion Ben brought to ProCare for over 20 years. He paved the way for Pacific health and we have great respect and alofa (love) for Ben’s invaluable contribution over the years.

Fuimaono Ben Taufua comments, “when we first formed the ProPa committee in 1998 there was very little focus on Pacific Health outcomes in mainstream services. I saw a pressing need to ensure that the unique needs of the Pacific community were considered when developing community health programmes and new models of care in general practice.

I’m so pleased that things have really changed over the past 20 years and organisation’s like ProCare now have a dedicated Pacific team who are tasked with supporting the network to improve their responsiveness to the needs of our Pacific population and improve their engagement in health services.”

Alongside the farewell for Fuimaono, ProCare’s ProPa welcomed Dr Canaan Aumua and Sally Dalhousie to the committee. Both Dr Aumua and Ms Dalhousie will provide valued expertise to assist ProCare’s ongoing commitment to equitable health outcomes for the Pacific community.

The other ProPa members include Tevita Funaki (ProCare (PHO) Chair and Interim ProPa Chair), Taualeo’o Stephen Stehlin, Judy Matai’a, and Dr Viliami Puloka,

Dr Canaan Aumua is proudly of Samoan and Fijian descent but was born and raised in West Auckland. He is passionate about Pacific people living their healthiest lives and his public health studies at the University of Auckland enable him to contribute positively to equitable health outcomes for the pacific community. Canaan is currently studying a Masters of Public Health from Auckland University with his dissertation looking at attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination in New Zealand. When Dr Aumua is not studying he provides locum GP services across Auckland and is a proud new father.

Sally Dalhouise has dedicated her career to the work of strengthening families and communities from the position that early intervention is the best approach to prevention. Sally is currently the chief operating officer at The Fono where she has been for the past 12 years and her considerable knowledge of running a Pacific focused general practice will be highly valued as a member of ProCare Pacific Advisory Committee.

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