Parents, health workers and the community playing their part to build back immunity

A team of health workers in Samoa set off each morning to reach children in villages with access to life-saving vaccines.

Among them is Registered Nurse Koreti Aiono, part of the Ministry of Health’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) team covering Apia Urban Area.

“On a given day, we coordinate with the village committee and plan our outreach to the identified village to vaccinate children who missed their doses,” she says.

These are children who due to illness, lack of convenient transportation, among other reasons are not able to visit the health facility for vaccination.

“We identify children who missed their doses and prepare the list for each village before our visit.”

In Samoa, the village committee members play a vital role in helping raise awareness on the importance of childhood vaccines and the need for children to get vaccinated on time.

“The Ministry of Health works together with the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development in orienting village committee members on the importance of vaccines.”

The village committee members then share the same information among parents in their respective villages - creating a ripple effect.

“With the help of village committee members, we run sessions with mothers on various issues such as immunization, breastfeeding and nutrition,” adds Koreti.

Parents laud the efforts of health workers

For Parafisa Pua, mother of three-year-old Avefua, it is not easy to visit the health facility, which is located about 10km away from their village.

Coupled with the long distance, Avefua, a child with disabilities, has not been well due to which her family has not been able to visit the health centre.

“Today, the team has come to vaccinate my child and I am very grateful to the team of health workers for visiting my family in our village.”

Parafisa, who learnt about the importance of vaccines when health workers visited her village to give a health talk, knows very well that vaccines keep children safe and protected and that is why she is making sure Avefua gets her vaccines on time.

“My advice to all parents is to vaccinate your children on time to keep them safe and protected so they can have a healthy future,” added Avefua’s mother.

Another parent who made sure to get his child vaccinated is Talosaga Leuta from the village of Falela Niu.

“We are thankful to the vaccinating team for visiting our village,” says baby Topelei’s father.

Not only did Talosaga get baby Topelei vaccinated but he made sure to get his Child Health Book updated.

“When my child was born, we were given the Child Health Book with details about our baby and the different vaccines my child needs to get.”

Talosaga found his child’s book especially useful and since then has ensured that baby Topelei gets his vaccines on time.

“I encourage all parents to get their children vaccinated on time. This will help our children stay protected from the many vaccine-preventable diseases,” he added.

In Samoa, UNICEF is working to support the Ministry of Health in the rollout of catch-up vaccination campaigns, in addition to providing technical support and training of health workers, and cold chain equipment.