Pacific health leaders across New Zealand join forces to help lift life-saving breast screening rates in a new initiative.
The Moana Wellness Village Pacific Breast Screening Community of Practice was launched at Fale o Samoa in Māngere last month with leaders from Pacific communities and the health sector.
The new community-led initiative involves the Pacific Public Health Directorate and BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA) to spark stronger collaboration and best practice action across the motu.
Pacific women make up 8.9 per cent of New Zealand’s female population however, they are 52 per cent more likely to die from breast cancer than women from the general population.
Pacific Health Service Hutt Valley general manager and Moana Wellness Village committee member Candice Apelu-Mariner says late diagnosis is a key factor in Pacific women’s over-representation in breast cancer deaths.
“We’re trying to socialise that screening should be a normal part of your warrant of fitness.
“We’re changing the narrative about screening. There are cultural barriers when it comes to body parts, they can be seen as taboo,” she says.
“But there’s also a narrative that it’s God’s will. We want to change that to, God wants you to be well, His plan is for you to live a long, good life.”
Alana Ewe-Snow, National Public Health Service Director Prevention – Screening, says the platform allows people to share what’s working.
“Equally important, it provides real-time, real-life insights back into the BSA programme directly from Pacific women and those working in Pacific breast screening.”
Api Poutasi, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, Director Pacific Public Health, says the Moana Wellness Village Community of Practice reflects the collective nature of Pacific peoples.
“Knowledge is power, and our communities have told us they want accessible, accurate information that demystifies our screening programmes,” he says.
“The key goals of the community of practice are to raise our collective understanding of the benefits of screening in Pacific communities, support participation, and create community champions who will spread the word.”
