Sione Tapa

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 Mahe 'Uli'uli Tupouniua 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

Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III, Grand Cross (31 July 2008).^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Humble, ethical lifestyle shaped career of Tongan philanthropist and Minister". kaniva Tonga. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b "150 Alumni Heroes: Leaders". University of Otago magazine. No. 48. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
^ "Dr Sione Tapa" (PDF). South Pacific Commission. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
^ "TONGAN STUDENTS IN NZ". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. XVIII, no. 10. p. 76. Retrieved 5 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "People". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 41, no. 10. 1 October 1970. p. 93. Retrieved 5 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "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.
^ "Award of the WHO health-for-all gold medal to Dr Sione Tapa : citation". World Health Organization. 10 September 1991. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
^ "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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[KTBio-1] "Humble, ethical lifestyle shaped career of Tongan philanthropist and Minister". kaniva Tonga. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2022.

[UoO-2] "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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