Need for More Pacific Islanders in Healthcare

There is a growing need for more Pacific Islanders in the healthcare sector, says former Pacific healthcare professional Leaupepe Elisapeta Karalus. She said young people should be encouraged as soon as they start high school than waiting until they finish their final college years.

Leaupepe, the founder of Hamilton healthcare service, Kaute Paskifa, has been awarded an honorary fellowship from Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) which she has dedicated to the Pasifika people. "It was an uplifting experience, receiving it on behalf of all the Pasifika people, for the community to be recognized, it was a very humbling experience." Leaupepe started working to improve he welfare of the Pasifika people after reading about their poor health statistics. She moved from Samoa to New Zealand after being awarded scholarship to study nursing.

Leaupepe is presently the president of the Fonofaufautua a Samoa, an advisory council of chiefs in Hamilton. She established the Kaute Pasifika with the help and support of the communities and led the vision, 'united we achieve'.