A first of its kind university research centre dedicated to Pacific and global health solutions is launching today.
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa is one of seven new research centres at the University of Auckland hoping to transform health for Pacific people in Aotearoa.
Currently, there are failures for most health metrics for Pasifika, with life expectancy at birth more than six years lower than non-Pasifika.
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa director Sir Collin Tukuitonga told Breakfast this morning that "research and information collection is just the beginning".
"When you get better data, you make decisions."
Sir Collin said for example, diabetes is "three or four times higher among Pacific people", and children and young people are contracting rheumatic fever at "horrendous rates".
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa director Sir Collin Tukuitonga says "research and information collection is just the beginning". (Source: Breakfast)
"We do know the rather terrible statistics that apply to Pasifika people and indeed, our indigenous Māori folk as well," he said.
Sir Collin says the poor health outcomes can be attributed to several known factors.
"You have poor housing; you have poor health. You are at the low end of the income scale; you have poor health. You don't have good control of what you have; you have poor health.
"There are some things that we do know in general. The research centre will help us to refine those issues."
He said the centre hopes to "focus on research that's relevant, look at the things that matter — diabetes, heart disease, child health, impacts of Covid and so on".
"But also more importantly they invest in the future to attract young people to come into research as a career.
"It's not particularly a flash pathway for many so we're hoping to change that as well."
SHARE ME