MB ChB RNZCGP
Dr Kiriana Bird is passionate about health, equity and Māori wellbeing. She's led changes to the way services are provided, strengthened relationships, enhanced the kaupapa Māori approach and built strong, agile teams who are culturally able to support self-determination for Māori.
Kiriana has been a specialist general practitioner for 14 years and was the Medical Director for Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga in Hastings for the last six years. She has worked as a GP, dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Māori living in the Ngāti Kahungunu region by providing a whānau ora-centred model of care.
She has worked to nurture the community and medical workforce by being the lead medical educator in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne regions for first-year GP registrars. She is still involved in training second and third-year Māori GP registrars.
In 2021, she was appointed to the Board of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners for three years. Kiriana will represent Te Akoranga a Māui, the College's Māori representative group, on the Board and will uphold the College's core strategic objective by ensuring a clear voice for health equity.
In 2022, Kiriana was awarded a Distinguished Fellowship of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. This award is given to a handful of GPs each year who have demonstrated sustained contributions to general practice, medicine, or the health and well-being of the community.
Recently, Kiriana has also been effectively communicating scientific information on immunisation that will benefit the public's health. As a mum and a doctor, she appeared in 10 short videos to discuss immunisation and how it's one of the best ways to protect your child against the risk of serious diseases.
Since January 2023, Kiriana has moved to serve her people on the Tairawhiti. She is now a specialist General Practitioner and Medical Director for Ngati Porou Oranga (formerly Ngati Porou Hauora).
Links:
Why Immunise? – Video series by Kiriana Bird
GP and Māori health advocate's service to the community recognised with top College honour
