The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) have secured the
New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS) contract for
the next five years, which will see PMA be actively involved
in providing specialist medical services to six Pacific
Island nations under the scheme – Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu,
Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tonga.
PMA President, Dr Kiki
Maoate ONZM FRACS, says he is proud that PMA is being
recognised for its experience and capability to serve the
Pacific region through the NZMTS.
“This is a
significant contract for PMA to have secured. It recognises
that we are a clinically led, culturally anchored
organisation and it recognises the depth of clinical
experience and leadership that we have provided over many
years with our colleagues in the region.”
PMA CEO,
Debbie Sorensen, looks forward to the work ahead and
liaising with participating nations under the
NZMTS.
“One of the key aspects of the scheme is to
assess and bring patients from country to New Zealand,
Australia or Fiji for medical treatment that they may not be
able to receive in their home country.
Another
component of the work is to organise visiting medical
specialist teams from New Zealand and Australia who travel
to the countries and work alongside their colleagues to
build capacity and capability; that may involve undertaking
consultations, surgery and teaching sessions. An important
piece as well is to work alongside countries to build their
health workforce and help strengthen their health
system.”
Mrs Sorensen reiterates the importance of
PMA’s relationships in the Pacific as a key part of carrying
out the work over the next few years.
“We have long
standing relationships with Pacific countries; we have been
working for the last 30 years alongside Pacific countries
and working in countries with our colleagues, doctors,
nurses and health system staff and officials.
As an
organisation, we’re underpinned by a culture of service and
wanting to give back to our communities and our home
countries to make a difference and this is another
opportunity for us to do so.”
Over the course of
February and March, PMA’s NZMTS team will be travelling to
the six island countries to work on a five year plan
identifying each country’s
priorities.
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