21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference, 10-13 April 2026: Read More – WONCA 2026 | Home
1. Tell us about yourself and why you decided to become a Member of the Network.
Tēnā koutou, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei and warm Pacific greetings. My name is Oka Sanerivi and I am a Samoan, Tongan Physiotherapist and early career researcher. I am married with four children aged 9, 7, 5 and 18 months. I count myself privileged to live and work in Turanganui-a-Kiwa/Gisborne in the Tairāwhiti region. I’m primarily working as a Senior Research Fellow with conjoint appointments in the Va’a o Tautai: Centre of Pacific Health at the University of Otago and the Mātai Medical Research Institute Tairāwhiti. I also have the privilege of working with local iwi health providers such as Turanga Health, as well as being the Chair for a Pacific health provider – the Pacific Islanders Community Trust Gisborne. I’m currently on an Health Research Council funded Career Development Award that is exploring the potential of Allied Health in Primary Care to advance Pacific health outcomes. This award has enabled me to spend time with Pacific community health providers across urban and rural centres, learning the challenges and opportunities of having Allied Health professionals in primary and community care services. I’ve joined this network to learn from and to add my voice, experiences and skills to the network’s purpose of advocating for the health and wellbeing of rural communities.
2. What are some of the key challenges or opportunities you’re seeing in rural health right now, and how are you/your team addressing them?
Apart from the well-documented need for investment in rural health more broadly, there are specific challenges in building and retaining workforce capacity and delivering health services that are more accessible and culturally safe for whānau. Steps towards solutions (should) begin with whānau/community voice shaping the design and delivery of these services. The opportunities I see in rural settings, is the ability to devolve services and decision making away from hospital-centric services and closer to whānau and communities. Such opportunities present themselves through foundations of trusted relationships that enable agile, community-focussed partnerships. In this constrained economic environment, synergistic partnerships matter. Such high-trust, values-based, whānau-focussed partnerships would lead to effective health services for our communities.
3. Is there a particular project, initiative, or success story you’d like to share that others in the sector might find inspiring or useful?
Two events come to mind: Firstly, two weeks ago, the team at Mātai Medical Research Institute hosted over 250 high school and kura kaupapa students at their campus, which enabled local students the opportunity to interact with occupational therapists, physiotherapists, neuro scientists, radiologists, dentists, anaesthetic technicians, MRI technicians, physicians, drug and alcohol harm prevention workers, STEM teachers and even our local medical students. Students came from as far as Wairoa and up the coast. It was a buzz to see these young people engaging with the breadth of health and research careers.
Secondly, in May, I graduated from the University of Otago with a PhD in Physiotherapy for my thesis titled ‘Le taualuga o tausiga (The epitome of care): In search of Samoan cultural safety in physiotherapy. This research explored what constituted ‘best practice’ physiotherapy care for Samoan families as informed by Samoan families, Samoan physiotherapists, traditional healers and health officials. From these rich insights, I developed a model of engagement based on the Samoan ceremonial dance, the taualuga. I was fortunate to be supported by the University of Otago, Mātai Medical Research Institute and the Health Research Council of New Zealand to remain based in Tūranga/Gisborne. I’m realising the immense tangible and intangible value of research in and amongst rural communities. This realisation is steering my future clinical and research direction.
4. What would you like other members or readers to know about —whether it’s a piece of advice, something unexpected about your work, or how they can connect with you?
Recognising that Pacific people are migrating to the regions for several reasons, including employment opportunities, more affordable housing and schooling. There is also a growing proportion (approx. one third) of Pacific children who whakapapa Māori as well. These phenomenon’s should shape the design and delivery of current and future health services in regional and rural settings. People are welcome to connect with me on oka.sanerivi@otago.ac.nz or o.sanerivi@matai.org.nz.
