ASIAN CAUCUS

ABOUT US

The Asian Caucus of the Public Health Association of New Zealand (PHANZ) serves as a dedicated platform for fostering connections and facilitating discussions on public health matters pertinent to Asian communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.

By promoting knowledge exchange and collaborative efforts, the Caucus aims to enhance advocacy initiatives and drive actions that contribute to the overall health improvement of Asian populations. Through these efforts, the Caucus seeks to ensure that the unique health needs and challenges faced by Asian peoples are recognized and addressed effectively within the broader public health landscape.

The Asian Caucus is made up of all interested members of the PHANZ.

Non-members are welcome to attend meetings and events, however you will be unable to vote on important decisions that impact the public health issues facing Asian peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Become a member here:

JOIN PHANZ

Caucus Officers

The Asian Caucus is lead and supported by The Caucus Executive Officers.

The length of term for Caucus Officer roles is two years, with a provision for re-election for a further two years.

People are elected to officer roles at Caucus Annual General Meetings (AGMs), generally held in September each calendar year.

The Asian Caucus has the following Officer roles available:

Vice-Chair
Treasurer

If you are a PHANZ member with Asian heritage and would like to put yourself forward for one of these vacant roles, please contact the Caucus Chair by completing the contact form at the bottom of this page.

Chairperson: Nivedita Sharma Vij

Nivedita Sharma Vij, an overseas-trained dietitian, has called New Zealand home for 20 years. With 25 years of experience across health and wellness sectors, she focuses on whānau-centered prevention, protection, education, and quality improvements, guided by Te Whare Tapa Whā principles.

Passionate about co-design and community-focused policies, she works to bridge gaps between marginalised communities and mainstream services through authentic leadership.

Active in governance and community roles, Nivedita is committed to serving New Zealand's diverse communities. She looks forward to collaborating with the PHA Board, management, and Māori, Pacific, and Asian caucuses to further this mission.

Secretary: Tian Min (Maggie) Ma

Activities and Events

AGM 2024 - END OF YEAR CELEBRATION

Date TBC
CAHRE Symposium (Centre for Asian and Ethnic Minority Health Research and Evaluation)

Chair Asian Caucus, presented on behalf of Asian Caucus, the petition served earlier this year. Addressing Health Inequities: A Comprehensive Policy Proposal for Asian and Ethnic Minority Populations in New Zealand Submission by the Asian Caucus of the Public Health Association of New Zealand.
Celebration of 25 Years of Asian Health Service Delivery & Launch of National Asian and Ethnic Health Services at Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora

Author: Nivedita Sharma Vij, Chairperson
I was honoured to be invited and attended the celebration marking 25 years of Asian health service delivery and the launch of national Asian and Ethnic Health Services at Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora.
Inspiring opening by Hon. Melissa Lee, Minister for Ethnic Communities, and a thought-provoking message from Prof. Lester Levy, Commissioner at Te Whatu Ora delivered by Tamzin Brot (Chief Allied Health Manager).
A special thanks to Grace Ryu and Asian Health team for their tireless efforts and Lifeng Zou for driving international collaboration.
CAHRE National Symposium 2022

The Centre for Asian and Ethnic Minority Health Research and Evaluation (CAHRE) at the University of Auckland hosted the National Symposium 2022 on the 2nd of September 2022.
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Asian and Ethnic Peoples Public Health Award

Te Whatu Ora Waitemata’s Health Service Model for Asian/ethnic Communities received the inaugural ‘Asian and Ethnic Peoples Public Health Award’.
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Meetings with Ministry of Ethnic Communities

A Zoom meeting engaging with Mr Chai Chuah took place in August 2022. Mr Chuah is well known in the health sector.
The Asian caucus shared his insights and advice about how to move forward for betterment of Asian/ethnic health and well-being leveraging the rare opportunity of the health system reform.
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Health Promotion, the Media and Advice to the Ehical Framework for Resource Allocation in Times of Scarcity

There have been lots of health promotion activities including on the media, and ethnic community leader gatherings.
Some Asian caucus members joined an online workshop with the National Ethics Advisory Committee (NEAC) on “Ethical Guidance for a Pandemic” to provide our feedbacks.
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