DVD Power Provides Bridge For Asians To Access Health & Social Services
DVD provides the medicine to cure Asian frustration and lack of confidence in New Zealand's Public Health System
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND ( June 05, 2001)
New Zealand's international award winning DVD publishing company, DVD Power Ltd www.dvdpower.co.nz, gave an estimated
12,000 Asians thirsting for information and advice at the recent Chinese Language Health and Social Service Expo in
Auckland, a taste of how DVD technology can revolutionize the way New Zealand's growing ethnic minorities effortlessly
access public information.
The Expo highlight was the unique DVD Power produced multilingual concept DVD demonstrating how new technology and
leading edge expertise can quickly break through the language barriers in providing an interactive, cost effective
method for the delivery of advice and information on government, health and social service agencies, to a multi-cultural
society.
Following on from the DVD Power team winning 9 out of 52 awards at the recent International DVD Conference in Las Vegas,
DVD Power was commissioned to produce a multi language, interactive Health and Social Services concept DVD for the
Waimatema District Health Board's (WDHB), Asian Health Support Service and the Asian Wellbeing Foundation.
WDHB, Asian Health Support Service Manager, Marian Ngai said showcasing the unique DVD on a Multi-Media Systems Ltd 4m x
3m big screen, provided the focal point for the Expo, and far exceeded it's purpose of providing the asian community
with information on various health and social services available to all Asian New Zealanders.
Simply by clicking on the DVD interactive menu, viewers could simply select either the English, Cantonese or Mandarin
version, then select one of eleven Health and Social Services profiled to view a presentation outlining the agencies
services and contact details in the viewers first language, Marian Ngai said.
National MP, Pansy Wong, champion of New Zealand's silent Asian communities, provides a multilingual opening address,
encouraging government agencies to identify and develop ways to deliver a cohesive and intergrated information delivery
system to help the Asian community access New Zealand's public health and social services.
Selecting the, Closing Remarks, button Waitemata District Health Board CEO Dr.Dwayne Crombie, explains how the Waitemata
District Health Board is constantly striving to improve the delivery of information and meet the needs of New Zealand's
ethnic communities.
Member of Parliment, Pansy Wong says that the Waitemata District Health Boards commissioned survey of 300 health
professionals highlighting the fact that seventy-nine percent believe Asians have an inadequate understanding of the
public health care system was confirmed by the overwhelming turnout at the Health and Social Services Expo.
I feel it is an absolute disgrace on our nation, and greatly disturbs me how New Zealand's silent minority are having
their self esteem dashed and being reduced to passive bystanders, in a so called harmonious and tolerant multi cutural
society, Pansy said.
Pansy Wong said, the Expo and the great interest in the DVD clearly confirms that existing methods of providing
information to New Zealand's minority communities is simply not working and political leaders must take a genuine
interest in addressing the serious indifferences shown to Asian New Zealanders aspirations to embrace a multi-culture
New Zealand.
DVD Power Business Development Director, Allan Shean said that with New Zealand's growing ethnic communities, the nation
needs to seriously rethink how it provides the framework for the delivery of public information for a multi language
society.
Simply printing a multitude of publications in various languages and translators placed at every public information
counter, is simply brain dead, and a waste of trees and human resources, he said.
Developing the information package further with up to 8 spoken languages and 32 text subtitles, combined with up to 28
times the storage capacity of CD, DVD will provide an extremely cost effective method for government, public health and
social service agencies looking to resolve New Zealands economic and social issues through enhancing the delivery of
their information and advice to New Zealand's ethnic minorities, Mr Shean said.
Mr Shean said the Expo showed that the retention of information and exceptance of using the lastest user friendly
Digital Video Disk technology clearly demonstrates that whether access to public information and advice is delivered via
interactive touchscreen kiosks, one on one or group situations, DVD simply enhances the aims of a cost effective
delivery system.
Complement the DVD content with internet connection, printable options, passworded content for staff training solutions
and you have a one stop shop on a shiny disk at less than the cost of a packet of cigarettes, Allan Shean said.
Ends