Te Mana Ola sets out how the health system can reduce life limiting health inequities for Pacific people in Aotearoa New Zealand and achieve the best possible health and wellbeing outcomes for Pacific whānau and communities.
Te Mana Ola is the first-ever Pacific Health Strategy for Aotearoa New Zealand. It sets out the direction and long-term priorities for Pacific health over the next 10 years.
Five priority areas
Te Mana Ola’s five priority areas are the result of extensive and in depth talanoa with the Pacific health sector and communities across Aotearoa.
Te Mana Ola acknowledges that Pacific peoples’ views of health go beyond the presence or absence of disease or injury. Health is seen more holistically as a state of physical, mental, social, spiritual and cultural wellbeing of Pacific whānau and communities.
Life expectancy for Pacific peoples is five and a half years lower than for Europeans. This, and other health inequities, are linked to differences in access to timely, high-quality health care and the socioeconomic determinants of health, which limit opportunities for Pacific peoples to achieve the best possible health for their whānau.
The five key priority areas of Te Mana Ola focus on and embrace the interconnection between:
- population health, by working with communities to build, maintain and enable strong foundations for Pacific health and well-being
- prioritising disease prevention, health promotion and good health and wellbeing throughout the life course
- better understanding the needs of Pacific peoples and communities and enabling them to exercise authority over their health and wellbeing
- ensuring that timely, high-quality services are reaching Pacific peoples, wherever they live
- growing and supporting strong Pacific health leadership and a resilient health workforce that reflects the population it serves.
Building on our foundations
Te Mana Ola builds on the foundations established by previous work, including Ola Manuia: Interim Pacific Health, Te Mana Ola contributes to the All-of-Government Pacific Wellbeing Strategy and complements the Living Standards Framework.
Te Mana Ola was developed with the guidance and support of an Advisory Group and informed by an extensive community and health sector engagement process, with more than 40 fono (meetings) held throughout Aotearoa.
Gifted by Pacific Leaders
Te Mana Ola is a term gifted for the Pacific Health Strategy by leaders of the Tokelauan community in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Tokelauan word mana is commonly used throughout Polynesia and is defined as divine power. Ola means life. Together, they culminate in the definition ‘to live powerfully’.
Te Mana Ola is aspirational and encourages not only Pacific peoples but all parts of the health system to value the physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of Pacific peoples for equitable health outcomes. Te Mana Ola empowers Pacific peoples to be in full control of their health and wellbeing.
