The Government of Samoa has accomplished its first Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of the nationwide capacities required by the International Health Regulations (IHR). The JEE was accomplished in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, and ran all of this week, from 30 October to three November 2023.

Joint External Evaluations assist international locations assess their nationwide capacities to stop, detect and reply shortly and nicely to public well being dangers. The JEE course of is voluntary, collaborative, and multisectoral – that’s, involving extra elements of the federal government and wider society than simply ministries of well being. It helps international locations perceive the gaps and weaknesses of their nationwide well being safety programs, to allow them to focus their efforts to enhance in these areas.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters we face in Samoa have shown us that we must do more to prepare for emergencies before they occur. Monitoring and evaluation exercises like this JEE will advance our national efforts towards health security,” stated Honourable Valasi Luapitofanua Toogamaga Tafito Selesele, Minister of Health of Samoa. “We look forward to the final evaluation report from this mission, as the recommendations will help us identify areas for improvement and critical actions that we can take to ensure a healthier and safer Samoa.”

The JEE in Samoa is the primary within the Southern Pacific Region because the launch of the third model of the JEE tool. The device was up to date after the COVID-19 pandemic, bettering the standard of JEE assessments in mild of the teachings of the pandemic.

Advancing well being safety in Samoa

Samoa, like different small island growing states, faces explicit challenges and is particularly weak to the impacts of local weather change. This, together with the measles outbreak in 2019 and the challenges of COVID-19, has taught Samoa classes which have strengthened its well being system and made it extra adaptable and able to stand up to different well being emergencies.

During the JEE mission, Samoa’s capacities in 19 technical areas have been evaluated by way of a collaborative peer-to-peer course of during which worldwide specialists and observers spent per week in dialogue and subject visits with the Samoa group. The JEE was led by well being safety specialists Dr Jeffery Cutter (Independent Expert, Singapore) and Dr Babatunde Olowokure (WHO’s Regional Emergency Director for the Western Pacific), working alongside Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma, Samoa’s Director-General of Health.

As nicely as over 80 particular suggestions in every of the technical areas, 5 broader suggestions additionally got here out of the JEE train, addressing cross-cutting challenges that have an effect on all of Samoa’s well being capacities. These suggestions provide alternatives for Samoa to create a nationwide motion plan for well being safety; enhance the coverage panorama and streamline coordination in methods that may strengthen all areas of public well being; get the human, animal and environmental well being sectors working nearer collectively so the nation is healthier protected against infectious illness, new pandemics and different threats; and strengthen the nationwide well being workforce.

Noting the worth of the JEE, Dr Kim Eva Dickson, Head of WHO Country Office and Representative of Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau stated: “Understanding what is working, and what needs to be strengthened, is critical to making sound public health emergency decisions. This requires ongoing monitoring of health security systems and functions. The JEE gives us an independent evaluation of the country’s capacities.”

“We commend the Ministry of Health for the leadership they have shown in working to strengthen national capacity for health security, and we thank our partners, the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development, for their financial contributions towards this JEE.”

National motion plan for well being safety

The findings and proposals from this JEE mission can be an necessary useful resource to attract on when updating and revising nationwide well being safety motion plans. They may even information work to prioritize and take alternatives to strengthen preparedness and readiness for emergencies, enhance responses, and take higher public well being motion.

These suggestions may even assist Samoa to implement regional commitments, together with the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework (APHSAF), to construct stronger, extra resilient programs in well being and different areas.

Global well being safety depends on all international locations having the ability to forestall and to detect, confirm, notify, and reply to all public well being threats. Samoa will now have a look at the alternatives offered by the suggestions of the JEE, and begin a brand new section of enhancing the nation’s preparedness, readiness, and public well being actions.

Media Contacts

Auliaimalae T. Dr Robert Thomsen
Deputy Director General
Ministry of Health Samoa
Email: robertt@well being.gov.ws

Ms Lepaitai Hansell
National Professional Officer, Communicable Diseases & Health Emergencies
World Health Organization Samoa
Email: hanselll@who.int