Pacific Health Plus Welcomes Associate Minister of Health to Cannons Creek Clinic

Last Thursday, 9 July, we were proud to welcome the Hon Casey Costello, Associate Minister of Health, to our Cannons Creek Porirua East Clinic.

Pastor Teremoana Tauira, a member of our Pacific Advisory Panel, opened the visit with a blessing, grounding the morning in the values that guide our work. The Minister then spent time with our team, hearing directly from Stop Smoking Practitioner Joe Ramacake about our talanoa-based, fānau-centred approach to smokefree support, and from Practice Manager Ioana Viliamu-Amusia about the clinical and operational heart of our practice.

“As the only Pacific GP-led service in the region, we’re proud of the difference we make through our community outreach and after-hours programmes, serving our Pacific, Māori, and diverse patients — many of whom have high and complex health needs,” said Taulalo (Lalo) Fiso, General Manager of Pacific Health Plus.

“It was so good of the Minister to visit our humble practice and take the time to meet with our staff. Days like this remind us why we do this work.”

It was also great to hear some of the positive observations the Minister has made from her travels around the country, seeing first-hand the many ways community-led care is making a difference for New Zealanders.

Fa’afetai lava to the Minister and her office, and to Tuafaasisina Maria Lafaele QSM, Planning & Funding Lead for Pacific Health, and the wider Health New Zealand team, for their continued support.

Meeting needs, changing lives.