Pacific scholar's dedication to Women's Health wins awards
04 October 2025
Dr Karaponi Okesene-Gafa looks to build greater health awareness for Māori and Pacific women.
Dr Karaponi Okesene-Gafa has been acknowledged for her contributions to women’s health with two international awards.
Co-Director of Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health), Dr Okesene-Gafa (Niue, Sāmoa, Cook Islands) was honoured with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) Excellence in Women’s Health Award, for her exceptional and enduring contributions to the field.
At the recent Pacific Island Health Research Symposium (PIHRS) held in Fiji early last month, she was also awarded Best Oral Presentation for research (undertaken with a team) into the pre-diagnostic experiences of Māori and Pacific women with endometrial cancer (EC).
A specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology, clinical researcher and lecturer at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, Okesene-Gafa is passionate about advancing the care of women and families in Aotearoa and across the Pacific region.
She hopes the recognition will help create greater awareness around improving health outcomes for Māori and Pacific women.
“I am grateful to see women’s health elevated into the spotlight, reinforcing the need for Pacific women’s health to be prioritised and valued, especially given the important roles women undertake both in the work and home spaces. We are the heart of the community.”
In partnership with RANZCOG, Okesene-Gafa has played a pivotal role on the Pacific Society for Reproductive Health (PSRH) board. Previously she was Head of Secretariat and is currently ex-officio president.
She and her board members continue to champion initiatives that strengthen regional capacity, support workforce professional development, and promote culturally responsive care.
Okesene-Gafa has also worked to grow Pacific clinical capacity in women’s health, collaborating with RANZCOG to increase Pacific trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology. As part of a broader workforce initiative, she has been instrumental in developing pathways that support Pacific doctors to become obstetrics and gynaecology specialists - ensuring representation, equity and long-term impact in the region’s healthcare systems.
I am grateful to see women’s health elevated into the spotlight, reinforcing the need for Pacific women’s health to be prioritised and valued.
Award winning doctoral thesis
Okesene-Gafa’s awards follow on from her award-winning doctoral thesis research at the University in 2023, which led the Healthy Mums and Babies trial. The study tested a culturally tailored dietary intervention for pregnant women with high BMI in South Auckland.
Delivered by community health workers, the programme reduced total pregnancy weight gain by 2kg in the intervention arm of the trial and was well received by participants.
Okesene-Gafa’s work continues to highlight the importance of inclusive, community-based approaches to improving women’s health in multi-ethnic populations.
