Thursday 9 October 2008
'Health and Wellness of Pasifika People' Expo
An expo for the Pasifika Community on how to access health services and to promote good health and well being will be
held at the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club this Saturday.
The ‘Health and Wellness of Pasifika People’ expo has been organised by the Pacific Island Advisory and Cultural Trust
and SDHB Pacific Island Nurses.
The event, which is sponsored by Invercargill Te Ara a Kewa Primary Health Organisation (PHO) and the Alcohol Advisory
Council of New Zealand (ALAC) will feature 34 stalls from a range of local health services, as well as keynote speakers
from Invercargill and Auckland, music and performance items from cultural groups.
“The event is about promoting good health and well being as well as informing the local Pasifika Community about the
range of health services available to them,” said Leona Notoa, Pacific Island Primary Care Linkage Worker.
“We want to heighten awareness about what is available, what these services actually do, and how they can be accessed.
“We’ll be targeting heath issues that affect the Pacific Island Community, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high
cholesterol, hypertension, smoking cessation and cardiac conditions, as well as promoting good nutrition and an active
lifestyle to prevent obesity.”
The event begins on Friday evening with a powhiri and dinner for organisers, stall holders and dignitaries. The evening
will also feature speeches from Ministry of Health Chief Advisor of Pacific Health, Dr Api Talemaitoga, Taskforce for
Action on Violence within Families member Rev Alfred Ngaro and ALAC Manager of Pacific Programmes, Metua Faasisila.
On Saturday the expo is open to the public and includes stalls from Family Start, Ngakete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable
Trust, Public Health South and SDHB Mental Health Services as well as a range of cultural items including performances
from the Samoan Methodist Church and Cook Island Tamariki Ora Group.
The 'Health and Wellness of Pasifika People’ expo will be held at the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club on Saturday 11
October from 9am to 4pm.
Free Transport to the expo is also available by phoning or texting 0276524718 or 0275421073.
ENDS