Dr Sitaleki Finau, Maungakiekie
- Internet MANA list position: (21)
Dr Sitaleki ‘Ata’ata Finau was born in Masilamea, Tonga. He is married to Eseta Fifita of Ma’ofanga. They have 3 children and 6 grandchildren. The whole family lives in Greenlane.
Dr Finau attended Tonga High School and Auckland Grammar and went on to attend the University of Queensland, graduating in 1975 from the School of Medicine.
In 1981 he graduated from the University of Otago, New Zealand with a Postgraduate Diploma of Community Health. Since 1994, he has been a registered Public Health Medicine Specialist in NZ, Australia and the Pacific.
Dr Finau has contributed to Pacific health in New Zealand for many years and is an advocate for Tongans and Pasifikans. He developed an ethnic-specific model of healthcare; established the Langimalie Clinic in Onehunga, the only one of its kind in NZ; the National Hepatitis B Screening programme; helped to re-establish the Tongan Nurses Association of NZ; and is a founding member of the New Zealand Pasifika Medical Association.
He was instrumental in the development of: the Pacific Unit and Research Centre at Auckland University; and Massey University Pacific Strategy.
Dr Finau is also the inaugural editor and manager of a Pacific regional professional journal, ‘Pacific health Dialog’ for the last 20 years. He was awarded the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2010. At the moment, Dr. Finau is a public Health consultant and doing General Practice Locums. He is the part-time CEO and project manager of Masilamea Investment Ltd.
Dr Finau is also interested in tennis, rugby, people, and food. He dabbles in writing of poetry and short stories mainly for his three children. He is passionate about all matters Pacific and cultural democracy.