Nurses across the country paid tribute to an unsung hero in the health profession, the President of the Samoa Nurses Association Solialofi Tuaimalo Papalii Pisimaka. 

The S.N.A. President was 79 when she passed away on Monday and the news of her departure was a hard one for members of the nursing profession to accept as they looked up to her for her leadership. 

Her son Togatalimā Afafaalogo Papalii told TV1 that his mother died from a terminal illness, she was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. 

He said his mother was advised to travel to New Zealand for treatment but declined, opting to give her spot to another patient whom she believed could benefit from the treatment. 

Mrs. Pisimaka was from the villages of Matautu-uta and Tuanai and was married to Papalii Tuaimalo Pisimaka Papalii. She is survived by  her eight children. 

Registered nurses took to social media with condolences for the family of Mrs. Pisimaka. They described the late President as a great leader in all forms and always striving for the best. 

The nursing fraternity referred to the late President as a mother and remembered her for sound advice and guidance to young nurses making their work tolerable.  

The S.N.A. could not provide a statement or comment regarding the passing of their President when approached. The Samoa Observer also visited the family of Mrs. Pisimaka on Wednesday morning but no one was home. 

Mrs. Pisimaka was instrumental and persistent in pushing for better salaries and working conditions for nurses, and funding for the refurbishment of the nurses hall at Moto’otua. 

The efforts for better pay for registered nurses came to fruition with the Minister of Health Valasi Tafito Selesele announcing the approval of a new pay scale for nurses in June.

The Government of New Zealand has also offered $5 million to assist in the refurbishment work for the nurses' hall which will also have accommodation for working nurses at the hospital.  

The late President was vocal about issues affecting registered nurses and had an open door policy to the media to address any matters about the profession.

Mrs. Pisimaka was elected the President of S.N.A. in 2018 to replace her predecessor who had passed away, Taulapapa Faamanatu Nielsen. 

In recognition of her exemplary service and commitment to the development of Samoa and her people, Mrs. Pisimaka was awarded the Order of Merit by the Government in 2023. 

She has served in the health sector as a registered nurse for more than 40 years and underwent nursing training in New Zealand. 

She was the Chairperson of the Public Service Association from 2000 to 2007.