The Samoa Medical Association (S.M.A.) executive committee members paid a courtesy visit to the new Health Minister Valasi Tafito Selesele on Thursday.

The visit by the association’s executive marked the first meeting between the S.M.A. and the incoming the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) Government.

Discussions between the new Minister and the S.M.A. focused on health interventions that are supported by the association as well as collaboration.

In an interview with S.M.A. President Gogosinaepeleivaai Dr Belladonna Potoi, said the purpose of their meeting with the new Minister was to discuss their resolution to better the services they currently provide.

“The purpose of today is to meet the Minister because we never met him and to do our resolution after our annual general meeting and scientific seminar that the association came up with how to practice and how to better the care for Samoa and highlight any of the outstanding health and safety issues that affect our people,” said Gogosina.

“And for this year we have been mainly focusing on the pandemic and keeping Samoa basically COVID free with the vaccination, so we have made the summary of resolution and that’s what we going to be speaking and presenting and discussing and we will like to show our full support for the Ministry of Health.”

Emphasising that Samoa has its traditions, Gogosina said it was always good to sit down and share perspectives on how to help each other out.

“Samoa Medical Association is a very strong stakeholder in terms of supporting the health goals and health guidelines for the Ministry,” said the S.M.A. President. 

“And we are in alignment with those goals and we fully support from wherever each member is with our motto ‘Anaana e Auauna male Alofa’ [passion to serve with diligence to serve with love] to our people’.”

Gogosina added that the S.M.A. is very strong and works like a family and they stand together with the M.O.H. to protect Samoa from the pandemic.

She also added that she wants to encourage people to get vaccinated in order to protect children at a young age as this is the largest population demographic.

The Health Minister, in an interview with the Samoa Observer, said the meeting with the S.M.A. was a good opportunity to meet and familiarise himself with the association’s members while also sharing and discussing issues that can help improve health services in Samoa.