The First Tongan Health Professionals Conference: seeking cultural democracy for health

The Tongan Nurses Association of New Zealand (TNA) organized the First Tongan health Professionals Conference as part of workforce Project funded by the Ministry of Health in supporting Pacific professional organizations. The conference theme was Cultural Democracy as an overarching philosophy for provision of ethnic specific health and social services in. New Zealand. The underlying motive for the conference was to place nurses in the context of health professionals and to promote the idea that Tongan nurses are needed and are willing to support all Tongan health workers. New Zealand. Dr Debbie Ryan, Chief Advisor Pacific Health to the New Zealand Minister of Health, opened the Conference. Several other Tongan health professionals expounded on the achievement of Tongan health workers in New Zealand and noted that these achievements were closely associated with their beliefs in "Tonganess" and the unique place all Pacificans have in New Zealand health. This conference generated much enthusiasm for Tongan ethnic specific health service provision, health work in general and nursing in particular. The fact that the nurses organized the First Tongan Health Professionals Conference was seen as a unique leadership initiative, emanating from the good will and trust usually expected of the Tongan nursing professionals at the health service level and in the community. There was desire to continue this type of ethic specific approach to enhance equity and decrease health disparities in New Zealand.