A vision fulfilled – _New Etu Pasifika premises a cause for celebration

When the team at Etu Pasifika move to their new purpose-built premises on Tuam Street this Saturday, it will be the realisation of a dream for both staff and the community.

Etu Pasifika general manager, Mr Amanaki Misa, says the move from their current premises on Montreal Street, is symbolic of their commitment to serving the Pacific community to the highest standards and of their progression as a community with the fulfilment of a 50-year-old dream shared by local Pacific leaders and pioneers.

“There has always been a fight and a dream to have a Pacific village in Christchurch. Those before us were aiming for this, knowing that Christchurch was a conservative city with a small Pacific population. When I was younger, I could not even conceptualize this idea. But our pioneers and leaders had the courage to even dare to dream this big. The fact that it is actually happening is a testament to their dedication and vision.

This will be a village with a purpose, which is around health and wellbeing for our Pacific families. It’s a village where we can cultivate, talanoa about our wellbeing and help our families to live healthier lifestyles.”

He says the move to the new premises would not have been possible without the financial and moral support from the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA).

“It’s a collective effort and together we can conquer any mountain with the leadership and direction of our board and the passion and dedication of our operational staff. Together we will continue to provide a range of health and wellbeing services.”

The new building will be full of Pacific murals and artwork and families who enter will feel like they are at home, says Etu Pasifika clinical director Dr Monica Nua-George.

“The setup is not like a standard medical clinic. It’s set up more like a community centre space and doesn’t look like a waiting room. Also, with a bigger site we will have the space to provide extra services to our community, so we can do more to help them.”

Senior staff members from the Etu Pasifika clinic in Christchurch, spent the morning in Auckland observing and learning from another Pacific health provider around the effective operation of a Covid-19 vaccination centre. This was in final preparation for when their centre opens its doors to the public on Tuesday 1st June.

The Fono, hosted the Etu Pasifika team and shared their Covid-19 centre experiences to date. Both organisations are Pasifika Futures partners – the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency for Pacific.

Etu Pasifika clinical director, Dr Monica Nua-George, FRNZCGP, says her team benefited from yesterday’s visit and inspired additional ideas on how they will run their Christchurch centre in two weeks’ time.

“We have been looking at vaccination centres in Christchurch and in comparison, it is much more clinical. What The Fono has achieved is making the centre more family focused.

It’s given us a different perspective and has shown us how we can set up a Covid-19 vaccination centre that is inviting for our families, rather than making it feel like we are performing a routine medical procedure.”

She says that this family atmosphere has been achieved by hiring Pacific staff who speak their own language and showcasing Pacific art inside the centre.

“We want to replicate The Fono model and provide an environment where people are not feeling anxious but feel comfortable.”

Etu Pasifika is the largest health provider for Pacific families in the Canterbury area and will move into a new purpose-built clinic next week at Tuam Street in the city centre. They will be using their current clinic on Montreal Street as their new Covid-19 vaccination centre. She says that it’s vital for Pacific families to know the importance of the Covid-19 vaccine.

“We will help our families understand how getting vaccinated is important in protecting them against Covid-19.”

The Fono chief operating officer, Sally Dalhousie, says it was a privilege to host Etu Pasifika and strengthen the relationship between the two major Pacific health providers.

“It helps to enhance our working relationship and gives us a purpose to come together,” she says. “Meeting the needs of Pacific families is best done by Pacific workers because we have the language to explain things, we understand the culture and know how our people should be treated.”

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