Samoa’s Immunisation Levels Still Low

Adults lining up for the measles mass vaccination in December 2019.

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 02 MARCH 2021: Samoa’s immunisation levels still remain low despite the backdrop of the 2019 measles epidemic that claimed over 80 lives, mostly infants less than 4 years old and over 5,000 people infected.

The low immunization levels are shown in the 2020 Demographic Survey conducted by the Bureau of Statistics and supported by UNICEF and UNFPA.

The low rate is due to many factors that arose after the death of the two infants at Safotu hospital in July 2018.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Samoa Ms. Simona Marinescu said her office and partners pushed to continue immunization after the result of the investigation was released.

“After the result came out, we pushed as much as we could for the vaccination to resume,” she said.

“It is just that rebuilding trust in the house system is a lengthy process and it took time for families to be comfortable to take their babies to be vaccinated,” said Ms. Marinescu.

She hopes such a situation will never occur again and she appreciates the Governments move to make routine vaccination mandatory, and she hopes the immunization level will be at an acceptable level.

“Vaccines are available and all medical facilities are equipped with it.  This is unfinished business for us,” she said.