More than 160 Pacific tertiary students in New Zealand are this year to benefit from health sector scholarships.
Peseta Sam LotuIiga Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
New Zealand's associate health minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga said the ministry's Aniva Scholarships aimed to strengthen the Pacific health workforce by providing financial help to students committed to improving the health of their communities.
Mr Lotu-Iiga explained that Pacific peoples were under-represented in the health workforce and Pacific communities often have poorer health status.
He said that boosting the number of Pacific people working across the sector could only benefit the Pacific communities.
The 168 scholarships, worth US$672,000 dollars, were awarded based on academic achievement, community involvement, leadership qualities and commitment to Pacific communities.
