Diana Sarfati Explained

Diana Sarfati
Birth Date:[1]
Order:Director-General of Health
Term Start:1 December 2022
Predecessor:Ashley Bloomfield
Alma Mater:University of Otago
Module2:
Child:yes
Fields:Epidemiology
Workplaces:University of Otago
Thesis1 Title:Developing new comorbidity indices for cancer populations using administrative data
Thesis1 Url:https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/4734
Thesis1 Year:2014

Diana Sarfati (born 1967/1968) is New Zealand's Director-General of Health and a public health physician and health services researcher.[2] She was formerly head of the Cancer Control Agency (Te Aho o Te Kahu) of New Zealand.[3]

Career

Sarfati was appointed Interim Chief Executive of the Cancer Control Agency on 1 December 2019, becoming the permanent chief on 1 July 2020 for what is now known as Te Aho o Te Kahu, Cancer Control Agency.[4]

In that role, she reported to the Minister and Associate Ministers of Health,[5] and advised Government on cancer-related matters. Since being in this role, Te Aho o Te Kahu has produced a number of key reports including a state of nation in cancer report,[6] regular reports on the impact of Covid on cancer services,[7] a cancer prevention report,[8] and a report defining the gap in cancer medicine availability between Australia and New Zealand.[9] Sarfati was also involved in the establishment of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy in New Zealand.[10]

She also sat on Health New Zealand's Planned Care Taskforce.[11]

Sarfati completed a PhD in 2014 at the University of Otago.[12] Prior to her appointment, Sarfati was Head of the Department of Public Health and the Director of the Cancer and Chronic Conditions (C3) research group at University of Otago, Wellington.[13] Sarfati has focused on researching disparities in cancer outcomes, this work has identified key patient and health system factors that influence cancer survival. It is used extensively by health policy makers, clinicians and other researchers to develop policies and practices that aim to reduce inequities in cancer outcomes in New Zealand and internationally.[14] [15]

Sarfati is also a member of the International Advisory Committee to Lancet Oncology,[16] IARC's international expert group on social inequalities in cancer,[17] the Board of the International Cancer Benchmarking Project,[18] and she led a Lancet Oncology series on cancer in small island developing states.[19] She is a former member of the National Cancer Programme Leadership Board, the National Screening Advisory Group, the National Ethics Advisory Committee, the Bowel Cancer Taskforce and the National Bowel Cancer Screening Advisory Committee.

In 2019, Sarfati was named NEXT's Woman of the Year for her focus on promoting equitable cancer treatment.[20]

In July 2022, she became acting Director-General of Health, replacing Ashley Bloomfield.[21] In November 2022 she was confirmed as the permanent Director-General for a period of five years.

Selected works

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Portrait: Diana Sarfati, cancer researcher and new cancer agency boss . 28 September 2019 . Stuff . Nikki . Macdonald.
  2. Web site: 2022-11-29 . Dr Diana Sarfati to be next director-general of health . 2022-11-29 . Stuff . en.
  3. Web site: Te Rōpū Whakahaere . Māori . Our Senior Leadership Team . Te Aho o Te Kahu . 30 May 2022.
  4. Web site: Appointment: Chief Executive, Cancer Control Agency . 6 May 2020 . publicservice.govt.nz.
  5. Web site: Te Aho o Te Kahu . 27 May 2022 . New Zealand Government . November 2021 . en-NZ.
  6. Web site: Te Aho o Te Kahu – The State of Cancer in New Zealand 2020 . 27 May 2022 . Te Aho o Te Kahu – The State of Cancer in New Zealand 2020.
  7. Millar . Elinor . Gurney . Jason . Beuker . Suzanne . Goza . Moahuia . Hamilton . Mary-Ann . Hardie . Claire . Jackson . Christopher GCA . Mako . Michelle . Middlemiss . Tom . Ruka . Myra . Willis . Nicole . Sarfati . Diana . Maintaining cancer services during the COVID-19 pandemic: the Aotearoa New Zealand experience . The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific . June 2021 . 11 . 100172 . 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100172 . 34327369 . 8315642 .
  8. Web site: Te Aho o Te Kahu - Cancer Prevention Report . 27 May 2022 . Te Aho o Te Kahu - Cancer Prevention Report.
  9. Web site: Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency . 27 May 2022 . Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency.
  10. Web site: New national cancer treatment service opens . 27 May 2022 . The Beehive . en.
  11. Web site: Nationwide plan to tackle hospital waiting lists . 27 May 2022 . The Beehive . en.
  12. Sarfati . Diana . 2014 . Doctoral thesis . Developing new comorbidity indices for cancer populations using administrative data . OUR Archive, University of Otago . 10523/4734 .
  13. Web site: University of Otago . Wellington . Professor Diana Sarfati, Department of Public Health . 27 May 2022 . www.otago.ac.nz . en-nz.
  14. Web site: The State of Cancer in New Zealand 2020 . Te Aho o Te Kahu . 2 February 2021 . 1 June 2022.
  15. Web site: Cancer Control Agency to drive improved care . Beehive.govt.nz . 3 December 2019 . 1 June 2022.
  16. Web site: The Lancet Oncology Advisory Board . 27 May 2022 . www.thelancet.com.
  17. Book: S . Vaccarella . Reducing Social Inequalities in Cancer: Evidence and Priorities for Research . J . Lortet-Tieulent . R . Saracci . DI . Conway . K . Straif . CP . Wild . 7 November 2019 . World Health Organization . 978-92-832-2223-1 . en.
  18. Web site: 7 September 2016 . ICBP partnership . 27 May 2022 . Cancer Research UK . en.
  19. Web site: Cancer control in small island nations . 27 May 2022 . www.thelancet.com . en.
  20. Web site: Board . Otago Bulletin . Equity and justice motivate NEXT Woman of the Year winners . 27 May 2022 . University of Otago . 5 November 2019 . en-nz.
  21. Web site: 2 June 2022 . Diana Sarfati named as acting Director-General of Health . 2 June 2022 . RNZ . en.