NUS Launches FIRST Health Clinic

APIA, SAMOA –06 JUNE 2022. The National University of Samoa launched its’ FIRST Health Clinic on campus on Saturday morning.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Aiono Alec Ekeroma, highlighted that the principal objective of establishing the clinic “to integrate theory and practice while providing health care services to support our students and staff members.”

More importantly, the proximity to students and staff members, not to mention the convenience for in-house patients when the need arises.

“The National University is dedicated to providing the services that our patients want where they need them most,” said Professor Aiono.

The new clinic is located at the House #3 at the main campus in Vaivase. It is free of charge and it provides care for the walk-in students and University Staff only at the moment. The Clinic is open from Monday to Friday at 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the patients can also call in to book an appointment.

To fulfill our students’ healthcare needs, the University recognized the need for an internal health clinic. As a result, this effort aligns with the University’s aim to enhance health care outcomes and to mainstream COVID-19 health protection by ensuring that the service is available on campus.

This is by integrating our medical teaching with a clinic that services both theory and practice for our graduate students. To that extent, the University has hired an overseas nurse and a local doctor to meet the clinic’s personnel needs, eventually assuring the best quality service and impacting the general health of our students, says Professor Aiono Alec Ekeroma.

In fact, the urge intensified when the COVID19 pandemic began in 2020. Consequently, we were determined to launch this service on campus to ensure that the University is prepared to manage the flux of students’ health and protection returning to campus for face to face lectures when the borders are opened, said Dr. Rosanna Tofaeono P. Feleti, the Acting Head of School of Medicine.

In addition to that, the Dean of the Faculty of Health Science, Sala Matasesa said that “the clinic will also engage in conducting various health awareness programs to inform and educate our students with the health care information they required.”

Finally, the Pro-Chancellor, Emma Kruse Vaai emphasized that, “This is a great achievement for the University, in which our students have access to a quality health clinic that caters as an important building block to improve our community’s health and serve as a valuable resource.”