Sione Tapa

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Sione Tapa (30 October 1923 — 9 May 2018)[1] was a Tongan politician, physician, and philanthropist. He was the first Tongan to graduate with a medical degree.[2] He served as Tonga's Health Minister from 1970 to 1996.

Tapa was born in Nukuʻalofa and educated at Tonga College and the Fiji School of Medicine.[3] After graduating in 1944, he attended Auckland Grammar School[4] and then the University of Otago, graduating in 1953 with an MB ChB.[2] He worked as a medical officer for the Tongan government from 1955 to 1970, when he was appointed Minister of Health, a role he held until 1996.[1] He also served as acting Minister of Finance from September 1970 to May 1971 while was studying overseas,[5] and again from November 1972 to January 1981.[1]

In May 1977 he was elected president of the 30th World Health Assembly,[6] He was later chair of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western Pacific from 1982 to 1983, and a member of the WHO Executive Board from 1989 to 1990.[1] In 1991 he was awarded the WHO Health-for-All Gold Medal.[7]

In 2012 he donated TP$1 million saved from his ministerial salary to establish a scholarship for students who wanted to study health.[1]

Honours[]

National honours

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Humble, ethical lifestyle shaped career of Tongan philanthropist and Minister". kaniva Tonga. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b "150 Alumni Heroes: Leaders". University of Otago magazine. No. 48. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Dr Sione Tapa" (PDF). South Pacific Commission. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  4. ^ "TONGAN STUDENTS IN NZ". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. XVIII, no. 10. p. 76. Retrieved 5 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "People". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 41, no. 10. 1 October 1970. p. 93. Retrieved 5 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "W.H.O. DIRECTOR'S CRITICISM Health service 'waste'". Canberra Times. 5 May 1977. p. 4. Retrieved 5 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Award of the WHO health-for-all gold medal to Dr Sione Tapa : citation". World Health Organization. 10 September 1991. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Royal orders presented at Palace". Matangi Tonga. 1 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.


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