Hundreds of Pacific community members came together in Auckland last month for a free health screening event, delivered by ProCare and The Fono, supported by 14 health and social service providers.
The event brought proactive and preventative health services to the community and helped people spot and understand health issues early. The work is part of ProCare’s long‑running partnership with the 14 Healthy Village Action Zone (HVAZ) churches working together with aiga to boost long-term health and wellbeing, including the event host, St Therese Three Kings.
Families took part in health checks and screenings, including dental and blood pressure check-ups, blood sugar testing, and health education. Some people found out they may have undiagnosed conditions and now know what they need to talk to their GP about.
Dr Allan Moffitt, Clinical Director at ProCare and GP at The Fono, says taking services proactively into the community is key to improving access.
“Nearly 500 checks, tests and immunisations were delivered in a single day — that’s the power of meeting people where they are. When we take services into the heart of the community, we remove barriers, we build trust, and we make it easier for families to take that first step toward better health.”
The organisations providing screening and advice, included Diabetes New Zealand, Kidney Health New Zealand, Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand, BreastScreen Aotearoa, Totara Hospice, Hato Hone St John, the Heart Foundation, Well Women & Family, Arthritis NZ and the Ministry of Social Development. The level of interest from the community in the providers exceeded expectations — Kidney Health New Zealand saw twice the number of people they would normally see at a full‑day event.
Viv Pole, Head of Pacific Health at ProCare, says the strong turnout highlights the power of Pacific led partnerships: “The response shows how much our families value services that are accessible, culturally grounded, and delivered in a trusted environment. Many people were able to learn their health numbers for the first time, and we heard many remarks like – I didn’t know that food is not the main cause of gout and can be passed down from my parents.”
“Bringing services directly to our families builds trust, strengthens relationships with primary care, and improves long-term health literacy.”
A second screening event will be held in the Ōtāhuhu–Panmure area on 28 March.
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