The Va'a o Tautai - Centre for Pacific Health (VoT) recently hosted an event acknowledging the new National Director of Pacific Health Markerita Poutasi.
The Samoan Council of Chiefs together with members of the Fijian community and Tokelau community performed an ava ceremony to celebrate her prominent appointment within Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand.
Poutasi's team is responsible for the ongoing funding of the Pacific Opportunities Programme at Otago (POPO), coordinated through VoT.
The team at VoT is now working with the Division of External Engagement and the Pacific Islands Centre to further support opportunities for Pacific tauira at the University of Otago who are interested in a health career.
“The University of Otago is leading in this space for health workforce development, you have excellent programmes of support for Pacific workforce development,” Poutasi says.
The site of the event held significance for Poutasi and her aiga. She grew up in Dunedin and her parents, Dame Karen Poutasi and Reverend Samuelu Poutasi, met at the University of Otago.
Her mother gained a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University and went on to become the Director General of Health from 1995 to 2006 and her father trained to be a minister at Knox College.
Prior to her appointment at Te Whatu Ora, Poutasi held the role of Chief of Strategy at Te Toka Tumai.
Poutasi is experienced in change-leadership, Pacific health equity and designing new models of care with communities.