MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 14th November 2007
PRIME MINISTER, RT. HON. HELEN CLARK TO ADDRESS PACIFIC CHURCH AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN AUCKLAND.
Source: Community Partnership Pacific Health Conference 2007
The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Helen Clark will be attending as the guest speaker of the 10th Community Partnership event
hosted by a family of Pacific health providers (Health Star Pacific Trust, AuckPac PHO, TaPasefika PHO, Tongan Health
Society PHO, Tamaki PHO, Penina Health Trust, Pacific Islands Heartbeat – Heart Foundation, The Quit Group, West Fono
Health).
The Community Partnership Pacific Health Conference will be held on Thursday 15th November 2007 at the Ellerslie Event
Centre, with and expected attendance of 500 Pacific church and community leaders, representing close to 300 churches and
community organisation from the wider Pacific ethnic groups in Auckland.
The conference this year continues its tradition of promoting and building relationships between Pacific communities and
the primary health sector. This sets the successful platform to improve access by Pacific communities of health programs
and services in Auckland, which in turn will enhance the provider’s ability to deliver health services to Pacific
people.
One of the focus’ of this year’s conference is the viewing of a short documentary to promote Healthy Eating Healthy
Action. The Pacific HEHA DVD is a joint project between Pacific PHOs, their health providers and church communities;
funded by the Ministry of Health to help combat obesity and its related health problems, including diabetes and cardio
vascular diseases.
‘Early detection is your best protection’, is another message for our Pacific communities, at the conference during a
special Cancer Candle Light service. Pacific people must not be complacent but to attend cancer screening programmes
including breast cancer and cervical cancer screening. These are free services for eligible enrolled patients with our
Pacific and Maori PHOs and their GPs.
The point of difference with the Community Partnership Pacific Health Conference is the focus on the community as the
primary audience, not health providers or government health agencies. To see the world from the community’s perspective,
to communicate in the language of the community, to think like the community, to let the community tell their own health
story and journey and for us the healthcare providers to learn and respond accordingly.
It is called Community Partnership with communities first!
ENDS