The communication of Covid-19 messaging in Pacific languages is key to helping people better understand the virus, says a Tuvalu community leader.

“Amongst the areas that Pasifika people live and thrive in, I think mental health is growing and I think the need is slowly being met, but I think we’ve still got a way to go. The Ngalu Fānifo initiative helps break a few of those barriers”, says Samoan psychiatry registrar and PMA member Dr Christmas Seu, when sharing on NiuFM about the Ngalu Fānifo segment that will debut tomorrow on Pacific Media Networks (PMN) – 531 PI Pacific Days Show.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and given the pressures created by this current Covid-19 Delta outbreak, it is timely that the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) through Pasifika Futures (PFL) – the Whānau Ora agency for Pacific families – will partner with the Pacific Media Network (PMN) to launch a dedicated weekly mental health segment to address mental health concerns from the Pacific community.

The Samoan community are joining the many Pacific Island communities running ethnic specific vaccination events this week.

The Cook Island community like so many of the Pacific Island groups have rallied together in response to concerns around the Covid-19 vaccination uptake amongst their families.

In response to concerns around the Covid-19 vaccination uptake amongst Pasifika, the Pacific community are using different approaches to engage with families and this includes ethnic specific vaccination drives.

As we move into a new week of Alert Level restrictions from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2, one of the tools for Delta containment has been the use of self-isolation and for some Pacific families, this has added additional stress as their circumstances make it difficult to comply with health authority directives.

A core value for Pasifika Futures (PFL) – the Whanau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific families – during this current community outbreak is to provide support for ALL Pacific people.

A month on since the Covid-19 Delta outbreak and the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) through Pasifika Futures (PFL) – the Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific families – has utilized $7.8 million to support Pacific families during this current community outbreak.

Gordon Junior Kap Elijah Feagaiga has celebrated his first birthday in a Covid facility.

After a raft of issues affecting some Pasifika in quarantine facilities, like a lack of food and medical care, the Government has agreed to partner with a Pacific agency to work towards solutions.

Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) is working closely with Pasifika Futures Limited (PFL) – the Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific families, to help Pacific individuals and families who are needing support in MIQ.