Page top

The PHA - an informed, collaborative and strong advocate for public health.

Public Health Champion 2000  -  Paratene Ngata

Ngati Porou/Te Aitanga a Hauiti/Ngati Ira

Following in the footsteps of his great-grand uncle, the legendary Sir Apirana Ngata who was the first Māori to complete a university degree, Paratene Ngata studied medicine at Otago and while he never found it easy (Dunedin was cold and a long way from home on the East Coast) his determination to "just get on with it" saw him graduate in 1970.

After a time at Wanganui Hospital, where he was a house surgeon at National Womens, where he completed a Diploma in Obstetrics, Pat Ngata entered general practice in Opunake and Whakatane.

During this time he says the notion of public health was becoming fashionable. Health officials realised there were disparities between Māori and non-Māori in things like middle ear disease. And he too began to act on a growing passion for Māori public health, moving to Wellington and completing a Diploma in Community Health.

Paratene Ngata was a trainee medical officer for health when, in 1984 together with Lorna Dyall, Eru Pomare , Mason Durie and George Salmond, he organised Hui Whakaoranga because it was, he says, timely to bring a whole group of people together to talk about health issues. A former director-general of health has described Hui Whakaoranga as "the most important Māori health initiative since the days of Apirana Ngata and Peter Buck."

Paratene Ngata says there was a multitude of issues to look at: educational and economic as well as health, and the hui signalled the beginning of collaboration between different government departments on Māori health and a sense that Māori should have a say in their own health and wellbeing.

Within a decade Māori had become major players in service delivery and had effectively entered the health, education and social welfare sectors as providers of a range of services that had previously been the province of the state or of professional enclaves.

Since then, Pat Ngata has served as Director of the Midland Regional Health Authority, helped as an advisor to Ngati Porou Hauora, an integrated health, development and support services provider; and Te Ora, the Māori General Practitioners Group. He ensures Te Ora maintains a Māori heart - a spiritual and cultural dimension which he says, enhances and strengthens its members.

Since the early 80s he has mentored young medical students, encouraging young Māori into the health professions. With Ngati Porou Hauora providing a supportive environment for undergraduate clinical placements, medical students from Otago and Auckland have also had the opportunity to experience learning in a rural, predominantly Māori community. He is an Advanced Vocational Training Co-ordinator for the College of General Practitioners, of which he is a Fellow.

Paratene says the best thing he has achieved is the gaining of many friends who are all working toward Māori health development. And he is pleased that people he has mentored and supervised have in turn become advocates for Māori development.

While acting as a leading advocate for Māori public health, Paratene Ngata has continued as a general practitioner. At one time, he tried to retire - but as he says, rural GPs are always in short supply and he continues to practise in Tolaga Bay among his people. He says the most pressing thing to be addressed in Māori public health is the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

He is a strong advocate for ending violence in families and communities and in 2004, he was awarded by Otago University an honorary Doctorate of Laws.

Given his busy life and huge achievements, the things Dr Ngata looks for to make a perfect day for him are surprisingly simple - a smile, a laugh and a happy face.