Te Marae Ora has brought in a public health specialist whose duties will involve monitoring the measures put in place or being put in place to deal with COVID-19, Non Communicable Diseases and Mental Health.
Dr Anura Jayasinghe who was born in Sri Lanka where he did his early medical training, has also completed his post graduate trainings and worked in Australia and New Zealand; including the high Maori population districts of Gisborne and Wairoa.
Dr Anura has been in Rarotonga about a fortnight and is enjoying the climate, our friendly people, fruit and foods; which are similar to his homeland Sri Lanka.
His most recent role was as a Medical Officer of Health with the Southern District Health Board based in Dunedin, before that he had similar roles in the public health sector in Gisborne.
Here in Rarotonga he will be based at Te Marae Ora (TMO) and will have particular responsibilities around the border precautions that will need to be taken when our borders open up to visitors again.
The Secretary of Health – Mr Bob Williams – says, “Te Marae Ora is delighted to have been able to recruit Dr Anura to the Ministry. His extensive public health experience, some of it gained from working in communities not dissimilar to our own, is a good fit for our current needs.”
Medicine could run in the family, Dr Anura has a daughter studying pharmacy at Otago Medical School and a son at secondary school in Wellington. He is contracted to Te Marae Ora for two years.
ENDS: Enquiries to Jaewynn McKay +682 55486
For up to date information visit www.health.gov.ck or www.covid19.gov.ck