Tongan Health Society Inc. CEO and Senior Doctor Honoured by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners

The Board of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) has approved the conferral of the honour of the Community Service Medal to Dr Glenn Doherty (CEO and Medical Director) and Dr Glennis Mafi (Tasilisili Manager). Few doctors in New Zealand are offered these awards. 

The Community Service Medal recognises an outstanding contribution to general practice undertaken within the doctor’s community. The College Board unanimously agreed that both Dr Doherty and Dr Mafi were very deserving recipients of the awards. Both Dr Doherty and Dr Mafi received their awards for services to the Tongan Community and outstanding performance in General Practice. The College Board also recognised both doctors work in New Zealand and Tonga-Dr Doherty for the last 10 years in addition to the Tongan Outreach Project and Dr Mafi for her 17 years of work in Tonga setting up and running the Village Mission Clinic in Ha’ateiho. 

Dr Doherty received his senior Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners last year a senior medical award recognising a specialist qualification. Dr Mafi is also a Fellow of the RNZCGP’s. The Tongan Health Society (THS) also achieved its RNZCGP Cornerstone Accreditation last year which was a significant award that shows the medical clinics have met the quality standards of the RNZCGP. 

THS was also approved as a RNZCGP training centre for General Practitioner Registrars who are training towards their fellowships. Dr Doherty has been appointed as the practice teacher for the registrars with assistance from Dr Glennis Mafi. This was the first time THS has been able to formally teach GP registrars. It was dependent on the fellowship of both doctors and the achievement of the Cornerstone Accreditation. Dr Kilisitina Lavulo was the first GP Registrar training at the Centre. THS will have ongoing placements of General Practitioners every six months. 

Finally Dr Glenn Doherty has been appointed to the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners –Education Advisory Board and the National Youth and Child Health Clinical Advisory Board for the Paediatric Society of NZ. He is also the Board secretary for the Tongan Health Society Inc.