Cabinet thanks frontliners for their sacrifice during site visit

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Cabinet conducted its site visits of all the District hospitals yesterday, in line with the Government’s measures to assure the services are available as Samoa deals with the rapid spread of the community cases of COVID-19 which has now reached 111 including Savaii’s first case.

Two years after Samoa closed its borders, this week was the first time a community case has been recorded.

At the District hospitals and healthcare centres, Fiame spoke to the staff and thanked them for their utmost sacrifice in caring for the sick, putting themselves at risk in these trying times.

She urged the frontliners to reach out if there are any issues they encounter and what they need to assist with their daily work.

Leading the site visit was Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa with Deputy Prime Minister, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, Minister of Health, Valasi Tafito Selesele, and the Minister of Finance, Mulipola Annarosa Ale-Molio’o among others.

They visited the district hospitals in Lufilufi, Lalomanu, Poutasi, Sa’anapu, Faleolo and Leulumoega.

In an interview with the media during the visit, posted on Government’s page, Fiame said Cabinet wanted to see first hand the health centres and district hospitals, whether its equipped to assist the public in the respective districts.

“This is in line with the spread of the COVID-19 and whether they are well prepared in dealing with the COVID-19 community transmission, this way the public can utilise these facilities without going to the national hospital, which is already congested.

“The keyword is access for the public. And also the Government wanted to see what they can do to improve the services rendered to the people.”

Adding that doctors have been assigned to each of the district hospitals and healthcare centers as it’s meaningless to have the hospitals equipped but there are no doctors.

“The only district hospital that is sharing a doctor is Faleolo. The same doctor that’s working at Leulumoega will also be conducting visits to Faleolo, but the hospitals have nurses working around the clock.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health continues to urge the public via public notices the stay at home, wash hands regularly and mask up. Pregnant women are urged to contact the hospital before going in.

The Prime Minister also used the opportunity to remind the public to stay home, use face masks while Samoa deals with community transmission.