Sir Collin to address declining Pacific life expectancy in new WHO role

After his well-publicised resignation from Health NZ's Pacific advisory group, Sir Collin Tukuitonga has been appointed to a prestigious role with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Tukuitonga, who is an Associate Professor at Auckland University, used to be the chairperson of Te Whatu Ora Pacific Senate, but resigned last year, saying he had "no confidence" in the coalition government.

The former Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs chief executive - now Pacific Peoples Ministry - will take up the role of chair of WHO's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (STAG-NCD).

Sir Collin says the new position will see him advising on how best to manage conditions such as gout, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other noncommunicable diseases that affect Māori and Pacific disproportionately in comparison to other communities.

“The World Health Organisation relies on experts from around the world, they have groups to advise them on what works, what doesn’t work and what the priorities are," he says.

"I’ve been doing some work with World Health Organisation for some time so this is an additional responsibility particularly working with a global group.”

Since stepping down from his role with Health NZ, Sir Collin has also been made a Fellow by the International Science Council (ISC) and helped to lead a transition team supporting the WHO's new Western Pacific Regional Director, Tongan surgeon Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala.

Sir Collin's focus will now be on the Pacific region, in particular small island states that have major problems with diseases such as diabetes but lack the resources to improve health outcomes.

He says the one size fits all tactic has not been effective for certain groups, and a more targeted health support for Pacific communities will be key to lifting outcomes.

Sir Collin will hold the role for the next two years.