Tonga-NZ partners for suicide prevention [1]
Thursday, August 13, 2015 - 19:03. Updated on Friday, August 14, 2015 - 12:08.
New approaches are needed to implement effective suicide prevention programs for Tongan youth, Princess Latufuipeka Tuku'aho stated this week.
The Princess, as patron of the National Suicide Prevention-Tonga, signed an agreement with Dr Monique Faleafa CEO for Le Va organisation, on Monday August 10 at the Tonga High Commission in Canberra.
The National Suicide Prevention-Tonga and Le Va Organisation in New Zealand have agreed to cooperate in prioritising suicide preventive measures.
The Princess said signing the agreement will help both agencies achieve mutually beneficial objectives to educate and lead Tongan communities with the right knowledge and information to preventing suicide. She was convinced that increased focus is needed to implement suicide preventative programs on younger generations with effective contemporary approaches and solutions.
Dr Faleafa believed with globalisation, social media it makes sense for all for them to work with their homelands.
"There is a ripple effect across countries when we experience a death by suicide or suicide attempt as we have experienced over the last two years with a spate of death by suicides of our Tongan brothers and sisters in Auckland. A Pasifika suicide program in New Zealand should also have a ripple effect to Tonga so that we share effective interventions and programs."
Le Va is a national Pacific led NGO in Auckland that provides various programs related to mental health and social issues, charged by the Ministry of Health to implement New Zealand’s first ever national Pasifika suicide prevention program.
Rev Fili Lilo, Tonga's National Suicide Prevention chairman was also present.