Saturday 02 March 2019
CNY Health Checks
Once again, starting the year off on in good form with the annual CNY health check, held at the ASB Showgrounds. A big thank you to all the doctors and students that played their part in making this all possible.
Saturday 02 March 2019
Botany Community Day
ACMA set up a health check stall in Botany Town Centre for Botany Community Day as part of their community outreach initiatives. At the same time, it was a good opportunity for YACMA students to get some clinical practice working alongside ACMA doctors performing health checks.
Saturday 16 March 2019
Chinese Health Forum
Another year, another iteration of ACMA’s annual Chinese Health Forum! This was held at Panmure Community Hall. This year brought together a number of expert practitioners from a wide range of specialities with the aim of helping improve the health knowledge of the general public - especially Auckland’s growing Chinese community. This year, the panel consisted of Dr Derek Luo (Gastroenterologist), Dr Andrew To (Cardiology), Dr Gary Wu (General Practice), Dr David Wu (General Practice), Dr Pui-Ling Chen (Endocrinology), Dr Yu-Min Lin (Geriatrician) and Dr Joan Yeung (Paediatrician). YACMA students also had a valuable opportunity to hone their skills while giving back to the community at the same time through running a free health check stand providing basic services such as blood pressure and peak flow measurements.
Sunday 27 April 2019
Tzu Chi Foundation
ACMA provided a community talk to the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, a local Buddhist organization. Dr Derek Luo gave a talk on bowel health and screening and Dr David Wu gave a talk on the influenza vaccine. YACMA medical students also helped by providing free health checks. A nurse and clinical pharmacist were also on-site to provide the influenza vaccine.
This community event was concluded with a lovely vegetarian meal provided by members of the Tzu Chi Foundation.
Sunday 04 August 2019
HKUAANZ Update
Dr Carlos Lam was invited by Dr Achela Fernando, secretary of the Hong Kong University Alumni Association of NZ (HKUAANZ) to give an update on ACMA’s recent and upcoming events, as well as long-term goals. Dr Lam was introduced to the HKUAANZ President, Ray Zhong and also listened to Dr Fernando’s talk about water conservation. It was pleasing to see some ACMA members in the crowd.We hope to collaborate more in the future.
Monday 05 August 2019
Flu Fighters Awards Ceremony
On behalf of ACMA, Dr Carlos Lam was invited to attend an Awards Ceremony at the Manukau Superclinic. This was in recognition of Asian community organizations such as ACMA in educating our Chinese public about the flu and increasing immunization rates. It was organized by Counties Manukau Health and ACMA received a certificate from CEO Margie Apa for our efforts earlier on in May this year at the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation.
Thursday 15 August 2019
ACMA-TANI MOU
Our MOU agreement with TANI was formalized this year with a formal handshake and signing ceremony at Takapuna War Memorial Hall on Thursday 15 August with WTV providing a media presence. This event was to cement TANI and ACMA’s partnership and commitment to our Chinese community by drawing on our respective organizations’ strengths in networking and health education. Immediately after the MOU signing we continued on with our collaboration via our second ACMA-TANI health talk where Dr Carlos Lam gave a presentation about Helicobacter pylori to over 120 mainly senior Chinese attendees. This was kindly translated into Mandarin by Janice Lee, a polyglot dietician from Hong Kong who was tasked with the rather difficult task of explaining how to increase your phenolic acid derivatives and isothyanates to a lay audience! This event concluded with a tasty Chinese lunch, kindly arranged by TANI.
Saturday 12 October 2019
ACCC Children’s Day
Members of ACMA were invited to the Auckland Chinese Community Centre (ACCC) Children’s Day.
This was the brainchild of local GP Dr Chas Luen and it was a marvellous day of fun, games, festivities, food, performances, networking and prizegiving. ACMA members were kindly invited to attend free of charge and we had our own Health Check Stall set up, ably assisted by our newer YACMA and ACMA members.
The food was very tasty and many families brought their kids along to burn off some of their youthful energy trying out some of the various games and events including jumping on bouncy castles, races on the lawn, playing diablo and various other events. Dr Carlos Lam was also invited onstage to present a prize for a relay competition. It was a very worthwhile event and thanks goes out to those ACMA and YACMA members who gave up their time to volunteer their skills at the health check stall, as well as ACCC for hosting the event.
Wednesday 30 October & Wednesday 13 November 2019
ACMA-TANI Community Talks
As part of the ACMA-TANI Collaboration, ACMA members have an opportunity to give talks to the Chinese public at various venues.
A talk on skin cancer was given by Dr Carlos Lam held at Takapuna Library, North Shore on Wednesday 30 October 2019. Local Chinese residents learnt how to prepare for the upcoming New Zealand summer and the risks that come with living under the biggest ozone hole in the planet. Lily Xu from TANI provided invaluable assistance as a Mandarin interpreter.
Dr Carlos Lam also gave a talk on the endocrine system at TANI’s main headquarters in Pearce Hall in Onehunga on Wednesday 13 November 2019. The talk was well-attended, with 129 Chinese locals present. Translation was kindly provided by an interpreter from Counties Manukau District Health Board. Puisar Chan, a local physiotherapist, held a theoretical and physical exercise session.
Many thanks to Lily and the TANI team for organizing this event. For our ACMA members, we hope to have a greater variety of speakers in the future for these health talks. If you are interested in providing a talk, please email Dr Carlos Lam at president@acma.org.nz.
