The Ministry of Health, in partnership with Ministry for Pacific Peoples, have published Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of Tupu Ola Moui: Pacific Health Chart Book series (2025), showing mixed progress in key areas of Pacific health and wellbeing across Aotearoa New Zealand. This follows volumes 1 and 2 which were published earlier this year in April.
Key findings
Key findings for Volumes 4 and 5, an analysis of Pacific peoples' experiences with the health system and key health outcomes across their life course, shows:
Life expectancy has improved slightly, but still lags around six years behind non-Māori, non-Pacific people.
Cost is rarely a barrier for Pacific children. Deaths from respiratory and cardiovascular disease are declining, and more Pacific peoples who need cardiovascular risk assessments are receiving them.
But challenges persist. As a result of unhealthy environments, Pacific peoples have the highest rates of obesity, gout, and diabetes and lower screening rates and survival rates for some cancers.
Immunisation rates has declined, and cost was a barrier in the past year with one in five Pacific adults missing their GP visit.
Volume 3 looks at Healthier Environments, exploring the social determinants of health, including housing, education, and income.
Key findings see two-thirds of working-aged Pacific peoples participating in the workforce, and more Pacific young people getting an education. For example, the percentage of children starting school with prior early childhood education has reached 93 percent - a major improvement since 2000.
But inequities remain. Median personal net worth for Pacific peoples is just $16,000 - nine times lower than for Europeans. Home ownership is also far lower.
Housing deprivation is also a big issue. Pacific peoples face the highest rates of severe housing deprivation, with many living in uninhabitable conditions.
Methodology and Data document
Tupu Ola Moui - Methodology and Data, a companion document, has also been published describing the methodology. It presents the tables used to produce the charts in the report and additional supporting information.
Having accurate, up-to-date, and consistent data is important to support strategies and policies that adequately address and reflect the health and wellbeing aspirations of Pacific peoples.
Monitoring
Working with Health NZ and community partners, this publication aims to support a Pacific-led approach to health monitoring supporting the Ministry of Health to track progress and measure improvements in Pacific health outcomes.
Tupu Ola Moui supports the Ministry of Health to deliver on the Government's ongoing commitment to improving health outcomes for all including Pacific peoples, aligning with Te Mana Ola: The Pacific Health Strategy, and the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Health.
You can read the report at Tupu Ola Moui: Pacific Health Chart Book 2025 series.
