Pacific Health Scholarships committed to strengthen Pacific healthforce

A health scholarship is helping Pacific students break into the health workforce.

The Pacific Health Scholarship offers students up to $5,000 for up to $10,000 for medical and dentistry students and up to $5,000 for nursing, midwifery, allied health and other eligible health qualifications.

One scholarship recipient, Mariol Tearetoa, has received help from the scholarship over the last three years. She said her entrance into health came during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

“My background originally is in arts and social science, I have a degree in arts and Maori and Pacific development. We had the Pandemic so it changed everything, and then our focus as an organisation turned from social and education, but the focus switched to health.

“Preventative measures such as getting everyone vaccinated, encouraging social distancing, isolation. All the things we went through during the pandemic.

“So that sort of started the journey, the work in the Covid space, because I was involved in the local community vaccination drives.”

Meriol, who works for South Waikato Pacific Islands Community Services, said she felt “boxed in” as a healthcare coordinator and vaccinator during the pandemic, and felt determined to help.

“In that space it was just administration, because of course I wasn’t a nurse. I thought ‘man, I feel quite boxed on for what I can do’ because I didn’t have a nursing degree.

“I remember bringing it up to our CEO who said ‘what are you gonna do about it?’, and I thought there’s not really anything I can do but go and study. I had the kids, we just bought a house, there was life.”

Photo/South Waikato Pacific Islands Community Services.

That discussion led their CEO to encourage Meriol to study, while fulfilling her obligations at work. Meriol said she then received backing from previous recipients of the scholarship to apply.

“I had some colleagues who were successful getting the scholarship in the past, they sent it to me to apply. We were in the ‘decile 1’ area that struggle to attract new nurses, so they were like ‘you should be a shoe in’ because the intention was always to come work in the community.

“The scholarship has kept me striving to have the best results all the time, put in that extra effort because I know it’s much bigger than passing. There’s been a level of expectation from year 1 right until year 3.”

Health New Zealand Head of Workforce, Pacific Health, Pauline Fuimaono Sanders said its “extremely important” to strengthen the Pacific health workforce.

“It’s extremely important and essential. Our Pacific health workforce is about 4 percent of the total health workforce, and our Pacific population (in New Zealand) is about 9 percent.

“So to match the growth of our population is important. Because of the benefits that we bring into the workforce and the ability to provide our services that relate more to Pacific people.

“Understanding culture, language expertise and the ability to help navigate through the health system.”

Sanders said the programme is something they hope will be sustainable to help more Pacific people get into the health system.

“We’re absolutely committed to support the growth and development of our Pacific health workforce.

“And also, helping our Pacific communities and families know where additional help and support is to maximise opportunities to have financial support around studies.”

Applications for the 2024 Pacific Health Scholarships have closed.

Find more information here: Pacific Health Scholarships 2024 – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora