Spotlighting Pacific Excellence in Heart Health Research and Workforce Development

Auckland, 5 June 2025 — Pūtahi Manawa Fatu Malosi co-leads, Dr Julie Winter-Smith and Nuseta Hope, shared the success of the Pūtahi Manawa Pacific summer research programme, Fatu Malosi, at the Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa 2025 Research Symposium, held at the University of Auckland’s Fale Pasifika.

Their presentation featured as part of a concurrent session highlighting Pacific Excellence – Research, Leadership, and Workforce. Fatu Malosi was showcased as a key pipeline for developing emerging Pacific heart health researchers and professionals.

This theme aligned with a powerful message from Director of Public Health, Dr Corina Grey, who emphasised the critical need to grow the Pacific health workforce.

“Pacific peoples currently make up 9% of the total population but only roughly 5% of nurses, 3% of midwives, doctors, and pharmacists, and 2% of psychologists and dentists,” said Dr Grey.
“When patients and providers share similar cultural backgrounds, it improves communication, trust, and ultimately, health outcomes.”

Other initiatives highlighted during the session included:

• The University of Auckland’s Microcredential course for Pacific health professionals, presented by Asetoa Sam Pilisi and Yvonne Sinclair.
• The Pacific Wayfinders scheme, presented by Rennie Atfield-Douglas, which supports Pacific youth in transitioning to university and pursuing health careers.

Dr Grey also addressed broader Pacific and public health priorities in Aotearoa New Zealand, such as climate change, communicable disease control, pandemic preparedness, and the increasing impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on Pacific peoples.

“We need to tackle the growing burden of NCDs and close the six-year life expectancy gap for Pacific communities,” she said.

Dr Julie Winter-Smith noted that cardiovascular disease and other NCDs contribute to over 50% of that gap. The Fatu Malosi programme is a strategic response, focusing on heart health equity and workforce development, delivered by Pacific, for Pacific.

Now in its second year, Fatu Malosi successfully supported 15 Pacific students in its 2024/25 cohort. Dr Winter-Smith expressed a key goal moving forward:

“We are looking to grow our network of Pacific supervisors to support the next generation of Pacific researchers.”

To register your interest in supervising a Fatu Malosi student this summer, email Dr Julie Winter-Smith at hhanzcoregrants@putahimanawa.ac.nz.