Country Cooperation Strategy Samoa

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Country Cooperation Strategy Samoa

2012–2018

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The Government of Samoa has defined its vision as “improved quality of life for all,” and since good health is vital for quality of life, the health sector’s vision is simply “a healthy Samoa”. The health sector has defined the goals and priorities for the period 2008–2018 that will contribute to realizing the vision for a healthy Samoa in the Health Sector Plan. As well as strengthening the health system, the Health Sector Plan is designed to achieve improved long-term health outcomes including achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

WHO works alongside the Ministry of Health to support their work. The Health Sector Plan serves as the foundation for the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS). The CCS has been jointly developed by WHO and the Ministry of Health and defines WHO’s strategic approach and specific areas in which support will be provided to the health sector from 2012 to 2018. The strategic approach has been developed to assist in meeting Samoa’s health challenges, taking into consideration the strengths of WHO and roles played by other development partners.

The CCS is an important tool that will guide WHO’s work over the next seven years, ensuring it is aligned with health sector priorities and programmes. By implementing the CCS, WHO hopes to contribute to and strengthen the good work being done in the health sector in Samoa. By working together toward a common goal and using the available resources to the best advantage, it is hoped that in the years to come, the people of Samoa will enjoy significant health gains.

Foreword

Hon Tuitama Dr Leao Talalelei Tuitama Minister of Health

Ministry of Health, Samoa

Shin Young-soo, MD, Ph.D.

Regional Director

World Health Organization for the Western Pacific

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Country Cooperation Strategy

Abbreviations

and Acronyms

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Samoa is a Pacific island state comprising two main islands, Savaii and Upolu, plus several smaller islands. It lies about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand and has a land area of around 2842 square kilometres.¹ Its main economic activities are tourism, fishing and agriculture. At the time of the 2006 census, the population was 180 741. It is reasonable to assume the population has grown only slightly over the past five years due to emigration. In terms of gross domestic product, Samoa is placed among lower and middle-income countries. The Human Development Index 2011 ranks Samoa 99 out of 187 countries.

The greatest health threat to Samoa is the ongoing increase in noncommunicable diseases brought on by obesity, inactivity and diets rich in fat, salt and sugar. Diabetes mellitus has been the leading cause of death or among the leading causes of death reported by public health facilities in all years from FY 2005-2006 to FY 2009-2010. Morbidity comparisons during the same period also indicate a rapid increase in noncommunicable diseases: diabetes mellitus cases doubled from 264 to 523, and pneumonia cases almost doubled from 789 to 1506 cases.²

Executive Summary

1World Statistics Pocketbook 2010: Country Profile Samoa. New York, United Nations Statistics Division, 2011 (http://data.un.org/CountryProfile.aspx?crName=Samoa).

2Annual Report Financial Year 2009-2010. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2010.

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Country Cooperation Strategy Samoa 2012–2918 3Millennium Development Goals: Second progress report 2010. Apia, Government of Samoa; pp. 7, 41–43.

4Millennium Development Goals: Second progress report 2010. Apia, Government of Samoa; p. 46.

5Millennium Development Goals: Second progress report 2010. Apia, Government of Samoa, 2010; p. 7.

6Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2008–2012. Apia, Ministry of Finance, 2008; p. 31.

7Millennium Development Goals: Second progress report 2010. Apia, Government of Samoa, 2010; pp. 7, 36.

9Western Pacific Country Health Information Profiles: 2010 Revision. Manila, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2010 (http://www.wpro.who.int/publications/PUB_9789290614913.htm).

Although the number of reported cases of HIV in Samoa is low, chlamydia is endemic and the potential impact on the spread of HIV highlights the need to improve services for sexually transmitted infections and reproductive health. Samoa has achieved universal access to treatment for HIV, but behaviours that would prevent transmission of HIV are not widely practised.³

High suicide rates have been a health and social issue in Samoa since the 1970s. Suicide attempts have fluctuated over the past three decades but have increased in recent years. The majority of people attempting suicide are young males.⁴

Samoa has almost met the Millennium Development Goal target of reducing the under-5 mortality rate by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. The under-5 mortality rate has decreased from 42 per 1000 population in 1990 to 15 per 1000 in 2009, a 64% reduction. Most of the improvement in child mortality is due to reduced infant mortality rates: infant mortality rates have decreased from 33 per 1000 in 1990 to 19.2 per 1000 in 2001 and 9 per 1000 by 2009.⁵ Despite an overall improvement in child mortality, some problems persist. “The neonatal mortality rate is quite high; 50% of deaths of children under the age of 5 years occur in the first four weeks of life. There are occasional outbreaks of infectious disease—recently including typhoid, rubella and unspecified viral infections; and child immunization rates are still below the targeted 90% necessary for effective protection.”⁶

The maternal mortality MDG target is a 75% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio by 2015: mid-way through the 25-year period from 1990 to 2015, Samoa had achieved a 38% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio. In 1990, there were a reported 74 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births and in 2002, there were 46 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births.⁷ The steady progress achieved until 2002 suggests that Samoa could achieve the target for reducing maternal mortality by 2015; however, attainment of the goal may be compromised by limited access to reproductive health services as reflected by Samoa’s low contraceptive prevalence ratio and increasing adolescent birth rate.⁸

Like other Pacific Island nations, Samoa is vulnerable to threats posed by climate change and natural disasters. This was driven home by the September 2009 tsunami that devastated parts of Upolu and claimed 148 lives.⁹ All sectors have determined to work towards minimizing risks posed by climate change and natural disasters. For its part, the health sector in Samoa seeks to reduce risks associated with climate change and natural disasters by building capacity to respond to emerging diseases and humanitarian disasters and, ensuring food security.

In line with health priorities, the main challenges facing the health sector in Samoa and WHO’s strategic advantage in terms of available support, the CCS 2012–2018 is based on four Strategic Priorities:

• contribute to strengthening health systems to improve equity, universal access, close-to-client care and comprehensive prevention services;

• prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and conditions, including mental health and injuries, physical disabilities and their risk factors;

• accelerating achievement of health-related Millennium Development Goals including control of TB and HIV/AIDS;

and

• building capacities to respond to and mitigate public health threats and risks posed by emergencies and disasters.

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Section 1 Introduction

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The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for Samoa 2012–2018 sets out the medium-term framework for cooperation between WHO and the Government of Samoa in support of Samoa’s health and development efforts and is aligned with the Health Sector Plan 2008–2018.

The CCS outlines WHO’s priorities and focus areas for the next seven years and shows how they are aligned with national priorities, highlighting WHO’s comparative advantage in the health sector. The CCS is based on Samoa’s national health challenges, opportunities, goals and strategies. It is tied to the Health Sector Plan (HSP) 2008–2018 and policies and strategies for noncommunicable diseases, health promotion and primary health care. The HSP 2008–2018 is linked to the Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2008–2012, specifically, Goal 4: Improved Health Outcomes.

The CCS 2012–2018 is also based on and linked to many international agreements, documents and conferences.

These documents are referenced in the HSP 2008–2018 and identified as the foundation for health sector policies and strategies. The United Nations Development Assistance Framework 2013–2017 (UNDAF), covering 14 Pacific island countries including Samoa, is being prepared and is expected to be completed in early 2012. The CCS is aligned with the proposed UNDAF outcomes.

The vision presented in the HSP 2008–2018 is “A Healthy Samoa” and the mission is “to regulate and provide quality, accountable and sustainable health services through people working in partnership”. The CCS describes the approach that will be used by WHO to contribute to the realization of the health sector’s vision and mission and was developed in partnership with the Ministry of Health, National Health Services (NHS) and the WHO CCS team.

The process for developing the CCS involved document review and collaboration with partners. Specifically, draft primary health care policy and strategy documents prepared by the Ministry of Health were reviewed to guide the development of the Samoa CCS. Furthermore, the annual Health Forum conducted in late 2009 provided a forum for collaboration among many stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, NHS, private health care providers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and donor partners. The Health Forum also provided an opportunity to review progress and challenges facing the health sector. In May 2010, a two-day retreat, specifically focusing on the CCS, was convened for senior Ministry of Health and NHS personnel as well as the WHO CCS team. During consultations, an analysis of the goals and challenges contained in the HSP 2008–2018 and the strategic advantage offered by WHO in terms of the technical support was undertaken and the four Strategic Priorities of the CCS were identified. The retreat was followed by a series of meetings with senior Ministry of Health personnel, during which main focus areas and strategic approaches under each strategic priority were defined. Draft versions of the CCS were also shared with donor partners including the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), New Zealand Aid Programme (NZAID), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United Nations country team members and the Government of China.

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Section 2 Health and development

challenges, attributes of the

national health strategy/plan

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2.1 Macroeconomic, political and social context

2.1.1 Demographic profile

Samoa is a Pacific island state comprising two main islands, Savaii and Upolu, plus several smaller islands. It lies about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand and has a land area of around 2842 square kilometres.¹⁰

The total population of Samoa in 2006 was 180 741, of which 93 677 (51.8%) were male and 87 064 (48.2%) were female.¹¹ The population structure in Figure 1 reveals that, in 2009, 39.2% were under the age of 15 years, 55.9% were between 15 and 64 years of age, and 4.8% were 65 years and above.

Although Samoa still has a high total fertility rate, reportedly 4.6 children per woman in 2009,¹² the net population growth rate decreased from 3.0% in early 1966 to 0.5% in 2006 because of emigration. Samoans have migrated to New Zealand, Australia and the United States of America. Life expectancy at birth in Samoa is among the highest in the Pacific and increased from 68.4 years in 1998 to 73.2 years in 2006 (71.9 years to 74.2 years for women and 65.4 years to 71.5 years for men).¹³

The Samoan population is divided into four major statistical regions: Apia Urban Area, North West Upolu, Rest of Upolu and Savaii. Apia Urban Area is the only officially recognized urban area; the other three areas are considered rural areas.

The 2006 census showed that Apia Urban Area constituted close to one-fifth (20.9%) of the Samoan population. The official urban population as a proportion of the total population has been relatively constant since 1981 (from 21.2% in 1981 to 20.9% in 2006). Rapid population growth, however, has been experienced in North West Upolu (from 25.8% in 1981 to 31.1% in 2006), which is close to Apia Urban Area.

11Samoa Population and Housing Census Report 2006. Apia, Samoa Bureau of Statistics, 2008; p. ix.

12Samoa Demographic Health Survey 2009. Apia, Samoa Bureau of Statistics, 2010; p. xix.

13Samoa Population and Housing Census Report 2006. Apia, Samoa Bureau of Statistics, 2008.

Source: Samoa Demographic and Health Survey 2009. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2010; p. 10.

80+

75-79 70-74 65-69 60-64 55-59 50-54 45-49 40-44 35-39 30-34 25-29 20-24 15-19 10-14 5-9 0-4

Male Female

Percent _{SDHS 2009}

10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10

Figure 1: Samoa population pyramid, 2009

Age

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Table 1: Trends of Gini coefficients of inequality of Samoa (2002 and 2008)

2002 2008

National average 0.43 0.47

Apia Urban Area 0.40 0.48

North-West Upou 0.40 0.46

Rest of Upolu 0.39 0.44

Savaii 0.41 0.46

Source: Millennium Development Goals: Second progress report 2010. Apia, Government of Samoa, 2010.

14Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2008–2012. Apia, Ministry of Finance, 2008; p. iv.

16Samoa Country Profile: Human Development Indicators. In: Human Development Report 2011. New York, United Nations Development Programme, 2011 (http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/WSM.html).

17Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2008–2012. Apia, Ministry of Finance, 2008; p. 2

20Samoa Population and Housing Census Report 2006. Apia, Samoa Bureau of Statistics, July 2008; p. 26 (In the Samoa Population and Housing Census, to be categorized as ‘unemployed’ a person needs to be in the economically active population (aged 15 years or over) and to have written a job application or actively sought employment in other ways during the reference period. By this definition people in the economically active population who are not actively seeking work would not be classed as unemployed.)

21Samoa Demographic and Health Survey 2009. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2010; p 41.

2.1.2 Socioeconomic situation

Samoa is a small, open economy highly dependent on a narrow resource base that is limited to agriculture, tourism, small-scale manufacturing and fisheries. Like other small Pacific island countries, its macroeconomic performance is highly dependent on external factors in the form of commodity pricing, crop disease and weather-related shocks. Many of the Samoans who live abroad continue to contribute to their social obligations by sending significant amounts of money to their extended families and churches.

Remittances from Samoans living abroad make up about 20% of gross domestic product (GDP).¹⁴ In 2009, GDP was about US$ 523 million, and per capita GDP reached US$ 2925.8, placing Samoa among lower- and middle- income countries.¹⁵ The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ranked Samoa 99 out of 187 countries on its Human Development Index in 2011, placing it in the medium human development category in terms of life expectancy, access to knowledge and standard of living.¹⁶

2.1.3 Political and governance structure

Samoa has a Westminster legal system of a Parliamentary democracy where its Parliament is elected through universal suffrage every five years and a Prime Minister and Cabinet manage the day-to-day affairs of the country.

Village communities and extended families continue to play a major role in Samoan society. The extended family, the aiga, is the foundation of the fa’a-samoa (traditional way of life or the Samoan way). The Head of each aiga is the matai (customary chief), who is elected by family members. Traditionally, the family matai is responsible for maintaining the family’s dignity and well-being by administrating family affairs.

2.2 Other major determinants of health

2.2.1 Income distribution and poverty

It is estimated that at the national level, the richest 10% of households earn 31% of total income, while the poorest 10% of households earn 1.8% of total income.¹⁷ Furthermore, the Poverty Gap Index for Samoa, which is based on the “basic need poverty line” (food poverty line plus the basic needs of households such as education, water and electricity bills, transportation), has increased from 6.6 in 2002 to 8.2 in 2008.¹⁸ Another concern is an increase in the Gini coefficient between 2002 and 2008 (Table 1), implying growing inequality in the distribution of income.¹⁹

2.2.2 Sociocultural determinants

Unemployment among the economically active population fell from 5% in 2001 to 1% in 2006.²⁰ The Samoa Demographic and Health Survey 2009 found that 42% of men and 20% of women aged 15–49 years were employed.²¹

Samoa has a policy of compulsory education at primary level. As such, the literacy rate is quite high—94.8% for males aged 15 to 54 years and 98.6% for female aged

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15 to 49 years.²² A drop in the proportion of children in early primary schools, however, is a major concern as it implies that the policy for compulsory education is not yet effective. The drop-out rates generally improved between 1995 and 2005, but remained high between years 1 and 2 (about 7%), years 8 and 9 (10%) and years 12 and 13 (39%).²³

The Constitution of Samoa calls for equal rights for all citizens regardless of gender. There are concerns however about gender-based violence. The Samoa Family Health and Safety Study, conducted in 2001, revealed that 46%

of women interviewed in Samoa had experienced some form of partner abuse, of which 38% was physical abuse, 19% emotional abuse, 20% sexual abuse.²⁴

2.2.3 Environmental health

“Nationally, only 88% of households have access to a treated safe water supply and waterborne diseases remain a problem. Sanitation is a problem in Apia in areas where there is inadequate effluent disposal, poor drainage and no regular monitoring of water quality.”²⁵

Despite large investments by the European Union and other donors to improve the water supply system, there has been little improvement in the quality and quantity of potable water because of an inadequate distribution system. Where there is an articulated distribution system, the pressure is usually insufficient to prevent contamination from the ground soil and the availability can be very limited, especially during periods of heavy rain.

The incidence of typhoid has continued unabated since its detection in the 1990s, probably due to inadequacies in the water supply system.

2.3 Health status of the population

The health status of the population improved slightly between 2001 and 2006. Table 2 presents data for a range of health indicators from the most recent Census (2006) and compares them with 2001 data. Most notably, population growth has slowed; the size of the working population has increased; fertility rates, in particular teenage fertility rates, have decreased; infant mortality has decreased for males; and life expectancy has increased for females.

22Samoa Demographic and Health Survey 2009. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2010; pp. 35–36.

24The Samoa Family Health and Safety Study. Noumea, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, 2003.

Table 2: Health status of Samoa, 2001 and 2006

HEALTH INDICATOR 2001 2006

Population 176 710 180 741

Annual population growth (%) 1.0 0.5

Population 0–14 (%) 40.70* 39

Working population 15–64 (%) 54.70* 56

Adult population 65+ 4.50* 5

Median age (years) 19.7* 20.5

Sex ratio (males to 100 females) 109 108

Urban population (%) 22 21

Crude birth rate (per 1000 persons) 29 27.3

Total fertility rate 4.4 4.2

Teenage fertility rate (per 1000 females 15–19 years) 45.5 28.6

Infant mortality rate: males 19.5 18.2

Infant mortality rate: females 19 22.9

Average life expectancy at birth: males 71.8 71.5

Average life expectancy at birth: females 73.8 74.2

Population density (persons per square kilometre) 63 65

Land area of Samoa (square kilometres) 2785 2785

Sources: Samoa Population and Housing Census Report 2006. Apia, Samoa Bureau of Statistics, July 2008.

*Report of the Census of Population and Housing 2001 as cited in Ministry of Health, Annual Report 2006–2007.

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Hospital utilization data from FY 2005-2006 to FY 2009-2010 indicated a rapid increase in noncommunicable diseases: the number of diabetes mellitus cases doubled from 264 to 523. Over the same time period, pneumonia cases almost doubled from 789 to 1506. The decrease in admissions for both diabetes mellitus and pneumonia in FY 2009-2010 was positive but needs to be monitored. The sharp increase in admissions due to injury and wounds in FY 2009-2010 was attributed to the tsunami that hit Samoa in September 2009.²⁶

For the most part, mortality patterns during the period 2005–2010 were unremarkable. The number of deaths due to noncommunicable diseases increased from FY 2005-2006 to FY 2007-2008 but has subsequently decreased to around the same level as five years earlier.

Cancer deaths have increased slightly. Deaths due to pneumonia have seen a sharper increase. The most outstanding feature of morbidity data over the last five years was the number of deaths due to injury and wounds in FY 2009-2010. Of the 198 recorded deaths due to injury,

148 were caused by the 2009 tsunami. Ongoing monitoring and research are needed to determine if the recent decline in deaths due to noncommunicable diseases (e.g. diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular diseases, other heart disease, ischaemic heart diseases) is an aberration or represents a real improvement in health status.

2.3.1 Burden of communicable diseases

Occasional outbreaks of infectious disease, including typhoid and unspecified viral infections, have recently been reported. The country is concerned about newly emerging diseases and its capacity to protect its population from epidemics and public health emergencies such as the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

Vaccine-preventable diseases have been rarely reported in Samoa in the last five years, and the country has been sustaining its polio-free and measles-free status. Rubella vaccination has been provided through a national immunization programme since 2004, following a widespread measles and rubella (MR) supplementary

Table 3: Leading causes of morbidity at all public health facilities based on hospital admissions

Financial year

Leading underlying cause 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10

Pneumonia 789 1388 1433 1580 1506

Other complications of

pregnancy and delivery 648 1007 1068 1156 1278 Injury, wounds, poisoning and certain

consequences of external causes 531 180 730 800 1041 Infections of the skin and

subcutaneous tissue 319 311 755 743 827

Diabetes mellitus 264 286 537 581 523

Acute bronchitis and acute

bronchiolitis 237 170 431 442 379

Hypertension NA 228 425 425 295

Diarrhoea and gastroenteritis 235 150 318 262 295 Other maternal care related to

fetus and amniotic cavity and

possible delivery 232 291 291 248 264

Typhoid fever NA 123 283 210 137

Source: Annual Report Financial Year 2009-2010. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2010.

Table 4: Leading underlying causes of mortality reported and certified

Financial year

Underlying cause 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10

Diabetes mellitus 46 36 53 49 44

Cancer (all sites) 41 36 46 42 47

Cerebrovascular disease 23 18 42 29 15

Other heart disease 20 23 35 42 36

Hypertensive disease 39 37 14 38 44

Pneumonia 23 23 29 29 35

Injury, wounds, poisoning and certain other consequences of external

causes 40 38 24 24 198

Chronic lower respiratory

disease 16 4 Nil 12 3

Ischaemic heart disease 13 4 16 11 12 Certain conditions

originating in the perinatal

period Nil 13 Nil 8 8

Septicaemia 9 15 25 Nil 20

Liver disease Nil 3 12 Nil 5

Source: Annual Report Financial Year 2009-2010. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2010.

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immunization activity in response to a large rubella outbreak in 2003. In general, reported vaccination coverage improved between 2008 and 2010; for example, reported coverage of third-dose diphtheria–tetanus–

pertussis (DTP3) immunization rose from 46% in 2008 to 87% in 2010.²⁷ However, there are still gaps in reaching at least 90% coverage for all vaccines provided through the national immunization programme. MR vaccination coverage is fairly low, leaving many children susceptible to measles and exposing the country to a possible measles outbreak if measles virus importation occurs. Due to gaps in reaching desirable coverage levels for polio and hepatitis B vaccinations, the country may face challenges in achieving the regional hepatitis B control goal by 2012 and sustaining its polio-free status.

Lymphatic filariasis is also endemic in Samoa. As the Government of Samoa has made a firm commitment to eliminate lymphatic filariasis by 2015, intensive mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns were carried out annually from 1999 to 2003, and again in 2006 and 2008. During those years, drug coverage ranged from 54% to 90% and the antigen prevalence rate dropped from 4.5% in 1999 to 1.1% in 2007.²⁸ In order to complete the elimination task, the Ministry of Health conducted MDA campaigns in November and December 2011, aiming to achieve over 95% coverage with special efforts made to reach the key target groups of young children, the elderly and people with disabilities. High coverage is expected due to a combination of strong political commitment, multisectoral involvement and participation of village chiefs, women’s committees and youth in information and drug dissemination. A series of advertisements were run in electronic and print mass media prior to and during the MDA campaigns.

In 2010, 14 tuberculosis (TB) cases were diagnosed, six with sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB. That same year, the case notification rate of TB was 8 per 100 000 population.

The TB notification rate has been declining significantly over

the last five years. A case of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was diagnosed in 2007 in collaboration with a Supranational Reference Laboratory in Adelaide, Australia.

MDR-TB treatment with second-line drugs was started, and the patient was cured in 2009. The directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) strategy has been established throughout the country and functions well.

The incidence of HIV/AIDS is low, with a cumulative total of 22 known cases since 1990.²⁹ Based on a second generation survey conducted in 2004-2005, no cases of HIV were detected among pregnant women surveyed.

However, among the same women, the prevalence rates of other sexually transmitted infections were 26.8% for chlamydial infection and 2.3% for gonorrhoea. Younger women (under 25 years) who were not married or living with anyone were nearly twice as likely to be infected as married women. Of pregnant women younger than 25 years, 40.7 % had chlamydial infection and 5.9 % had gonococcal infection; of women older than 25 years, 17.5% had chlamydial infection and 0% had gonococcal infection.³⁰ These statistics indicate high risk-taking behaviour and poor sexually transmitted infection control among young women and their partners.

27WHO Vaccine Preventable Diseases Monitoring System: 2011 Global Summary: Samoa. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2011 (http://apps.who.int/immunization monitoring/en/globalsummary/

countryprofileresult/cfm).

28Workshop Report: First Workshop on Lymphatic Filariasis and Other Helminthiases for Pacific Programme Managers, 9–12 November 2009, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Manila, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2010; pp. 58–59 (http://www.wpro.who.int/internet/resources.ashx/MVP/docs/LF_Helminths+meeting+report.pdf).

29UNGASS Country Progress Report 2010 Samoa, Samoa National AIDS Committee, 31 March 2010; p8

30Second Generation Surveillance Surveys of HIV, other STIs and Risk Behaviours in 6 Pacific Island Countries (2004-2005). Manila, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2006; p. 69.

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2.3.2 Burden of noncommunicable diseases

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly significant causes of ill health and among the leading causes of death, along with injuries and wounds. Over the past two decades, Samoa has witnessed almost epidemic rises in coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and mature-onset diabetes. The escalation of NCDs has been linked to changing diets, increased use of tobacco and alcohol, and limited public understanding of associated health risks.

Obesity is the single most serious threat to health in Samoa, contributing to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, loss of mobility and increased risk of premature death from one or many of these causes. Body mass index (BMI) rose consistently in men and women in every age group between 1979-1982 and 2002. Trends in diabetes prevalence have also been tracked through the

Ministry of Health’s Health Information System. Diabetes mellitus has been the leading cause of death or among the leading causes of death reported by public health facilities from FY 2005-2006 to FY 2009-2010. However, in recent years, reported deaths due to diabetes have decreased from a peak of 53 in FY 2007-2008 to 44 in FY 2009- 2010.³¹ Hospital admissions for diabetes rose steadily from FY 2005-2006, peaking at 581 in FY 2008-2009, but dropping to 523 in FY 2009-2010.³²

Among younger age groups, other health issues are of concern. “Among adolescents, there is a high suicide rate, low but rising numbers of teenage pregnancies, and growing use of marijuana, tobacco and alcohol.”³³ An analysis of the medical records at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital in the 1990s showed that the majority of suicide attempts were made by young males.

2.3.3 Maternal and child health

Samoa has almost met the MDG target of reducing the under-5 mortality rate by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. The under-5 mortality rate fell from 42 per 1000 in 1990 to 15 per 1000 in 2009, a 64% reduction. Most of the improvement in child mortality is due to reduced infant mortality rates: infant mortality rates dropped from 33 per 1000 in 1990, to 19.2 per 1000 in 2001 and 9 per 1000 in 2009.³⁴ Despite an overall improvement in child mortality, some problems persist. “The neonatal mortality rate is quite high; 50% of deaths of children under the age of 5 years occur in the first four weeks of life.”³⁵

The maternal mortality MDG target is a 75% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio by 2015. Mid-way through the

Table 5: Mean body mass index by year and age group for men and women in Samoa

1979-1982 1991 2002

Age group Men Women Men Women Men Women

25-34 25.7 28.0 27.7 29.2 27.7 32.2

35-44 26.5 29.7 30.4 31.7 29.9 34.8

45-54 27.4 30.8 29.0 33.0 32.9 36.5

Source: Keighley ED et al. Nutrition and health in modernizing Samoans: temporal trends and adaptive perspectives. In: Ohtsuka R and Ulijaszek SJ, eds. Health Change in the Asia- Pacific Region: Biocultural and Epidemiological Approaches. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2007; p. 155.

31Annual Report Financial Year 2009-2010. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2010; p. 7.

32Annual Report Financial Year 2009-2010. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2010; p. 8.

33Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2008–2012. Apia, Ministry of Finance, 2008 p. 32.

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25-year period, from 1990 to 2015, Samoa had achieved a 38% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio. In 1990, there were a reported 74 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births, and in 2002, there were 46 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births.³⁶ The steady progress achieved in the first 12 and a half years suggests Samoa could achieve the target for reducing maternal mortality by 2015; however, attainment of the goal may be compromised by limited access to reproductive health as reflected by Samoa’s low contraceptive prevalence ratio and increasing adolescent birth rate.³⁷

In 1991, the contraceptive prevalence rate was reported to be 18%. A United Nations survey on reproductive health knowledge and services, conducted in Samoa in 1998, estimated the contraceptive prevalence rate for modern methods was 23.1% and for all methods was 24.5%.³⁸While these rates are relatively low, they compare favourably with findings from the 2009 Samoa Demographic and Health Survey, which reported figures of 16.5% for modern methods and 17.8% for all methods.³⁹

2.4 Health systems and services

The Samoa health sector is made up of public and private health service providers, NGOs, alternative therapists, traditional healers, academic institutions, communities and development partners.⁴⁰ At present, the health system is predominated by publicly funded health services.

2.4.1 Governance and leadership

In 1996, the Government of Samoa introduced public sector reforms aimed at strengthening public–private partnerships and the economy to enhance privatization.

The Government however retains the core responsibility of mandating public policy formulation, setting standards and regulations, and mobilizing resources. In 2006, health reforms created two separate legal entities: Ministry of

Health, with responsibility for policy, planning, monitoring and regulating the health sector as a whole, and National Health Services (NHS), with responsibility for health services provision.

Since the separation of the Ministry of Health and NHS, there has been some dislocation between health policies and strategies and the delivery of health services. The Ministry of Health has been working through the monthly Public Health Sector Management meetings with NHS (including National Kidney Foundation of Samoa, Oceania University of Medicine Samoa and National University of Samoa) to encourage dialogue, joint planning communication and close collaboration. The meeting effectively links the five main public entities of the health sector.

The leadership challenge has been uniting the various providers comprising the health sector so that all are outcome oriented and work collaboratively toward achieving the common goal of a healthy Samoa.

2.4.2 Health service delivery

NHS is charged with overseeing all publicly funded hospital-based care in Samoa. It is responsible for the national referral hospital (Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital, TTMH) in Apia and seven district hospitals throughout the country including the Savaii hospital (Malietoa Tanumafili II Hospital, MTIIH). TTMH has 120 beds and a staff of 45 doctors and 105 nurses. MTIIH has 60 beds, 1 resident doctor, 2 doctors on weekly rotation from TTMH and 25 nurses. District hospitals have 8 to 10 beds, provide 24-hour service and serve as clinical centres in rural areas.

They are staffed and managed by a multi-purpose team of 6 to 8 nurses who are responsible for inpatient, outpatient and outreach services.⁴¹ District hospitals are supported, as necessary, by doctors from TTMH and MTIIH. Private doctors are contracted to attend to rural health facilities on a weekly basis. In addition to NHS, the Medcen Private

38Reproductive Health Knowledge and Services in Samoa, UNFPA Research Papers in Population and Reproductive Health. No.1/2002. Suva, Fiji, United Nations Population Fund, 2003.

41Data collected from interviews.

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Hospital in Apia has 21 beds, 4 doctors and 10 nurses.

However, since opening in 1998, Medcen has become financially unviable and will likely discontinue operating as a private hospital.⁴²

Outreach services are provided by the Nursing and Integrated Community Health Care Services Division of NHS. Outreach services include home-based intermediate nursing and midwifery services for discharged patients who still require some level of care, disease prevention and health promotion activities including immunization, and maternal and child health care services that are often offered from health centres.⁴³ Most community health centres open once a week or when the designated registered nurse visits.

Other important service providers include the National Kidney Foundation of Samoa (NKFS), a range of NGOs including the Red Cross that receive government subsidies for their operations, and private providers including physicians, dentists, nursing services, pharmacists, physiotherapists and alternative therapists.

Overseas treatment is the safety valve for health services.

Unfortunately, medical evacuations have been increasing.

In many instances, patients have been left untreated for too long and require extensive medical care. The challenge to health services in Samoa is to detect cases early and treat them locally. Without strong management and health planning linked to health service delivery, this proposition may remain elusive.

Documentation and analysis of health care services in Samoa is required to map all components. Unfortunately, documentation and reporting on health services are insufficient. Easier access to health service information and health service delivery data is needed. The situation presents many challenges to the delivery of health care services in Samoa.

2.4.3 Human workforce

Samoa suffers from both a shortage of health professionals and a lack of capacity. In 2011, registered health practitioners with an Annual Practicing Certificate (APC) included 85 enrolled nurses, 152 registered nurses, 45 nurse specialists and 55 midwives.⁴⁴ The total health worker ratio was 1.86 per 1000 population. Current health practitioner numbers and skill mixes are insufficient to meet the needs of the population. None of the rural health facilities has a permanently posted medical doctor.

Attrition of staff through retirement and migration is outpacing human resources recruitment. The Human Resources for Health Policy and Plan of Action 2007 suggested that creative solutions would be needed to expand the small pool of potential health workers, to develop training opportunities, and to strengthen capacity to supply replacement workers.⁴⁵ Importantly, an analytical study of skill mix, training and health worker distribution would provide a clearer picture of the level of health services provided. In order to perform a complete health workforce audit, however, it would be necessary to collect HRH information and data and develop epidemiological, demographic, economic and social databases.⁴⁶ The Human Resources for Health Policy and Plan of Action 2007 recommended including health workforce planning and development in all national plans. The current Human Resources for Health Action Plan 2008–2015 needs to be fully implemented and integrated with all other health sector activities to ensure its objectives will be met.

There are two local training facilities in Samoa: National University of Samoa and Oceania University of Medicine. The National University of Samoa provides nursing training and continuing education for health professionals. The capacity is adequate to maintain current levels but insufficient to increase training to meet growing staffing needs. WHO

42Aigaletaule’ale’a F. Tauafiafi. Medcen Samoa - broke. Samoa Observer Online, 10 May 2011.

43Samoa Demographic and Health Survey 2009. Apia, Ministry of Health, 2009; p. 3.

44Correspondence between Dr Baoping Yang, WHO Representative, and Frances Brebner, Registrar Health Professionals, Ministry of Health, Government of Samoa on 16 June 2011.

45Human Resources for Health Policy and Plan of Action, 2007. Apia, Government of Samoa, 2007; p. 11.

46Human Resources for Health Policy and Plan of Action, 2007. Apia, Government of Samoa, 2007; p. 12.

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operates the largest health professional training support programme for the health sector, but it will take several years to increase the health workforce sufficiently.

2.4.4 Health Information

Strategic Development and Planning Services of the Ministry of Health is responsible for health information and health research. The Ministry of Health publishes their Annual Report at the end of each fiscal year. The most recent year available, Annual Report Financial Year 2009-2010, has comparative data and statistics from FY 2005-2006 to FY 2009-2010. Other available health information statistics and data can be found in the Health Sector Plan 2008–2018, the Demographic and Health Survey 2009, Millennium Development Goals: Second Progress Report 2010 and various other policy documents, reports and research results.

The current Health Information System is recognized as being limited. As such, considerable effort is being made to improve information access and availability. A Health Information Taskforce was formed to investigate ways of improving the Health Information System. It is currently looking into a system that will connect providers as well as a patient management system for NHS. The work of the Taskforce is ongoing and it might be some time before improvements in the Health Information System are evident. Quality health information is crucial for evidence- based planning. Samoa could eliminate many diseases and illnesses in a short time with improved information collection and analysis. This would allow concentrated, focused efforts to provide health service delivery where it is most needed and tackle some of the prominent health challenges, reducing them to manageable levels.

2.4.5 Health financing

In 2008, Samoa’s total health expenditure was 5.9%

of GDP, equivalent to US$ 179 per person. Significant increases were projected for 2009 (Table 6). Health

services are predominantly paid for by the government, and funded through general revenues with support from external donors. External resources for health amounted to 7.1% of total health expenditure in 2008.⁴⁷

Table 6: Health expenditure indicators Health

expenditure

indicators 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009^a Total health

expenditure

as % of GDP 5.0% 5.6% 5.5% 6.2% 6.1% 5.9% 7.0%

Total health expenditure per capita (in 2008 US$

prices) 98 126 165 185 192 179 208

General government health expenditure as % of total health

expenditure 70.4% 70.9% 83.3% 85.8% 85.3% 84.7% 87.3%

Source: Health Financing Country Profiles, 1995–2008. Manila, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2011.

aEstimated figures.

Although government expenditure on health in Samoa is relatively high, the quality of health services, access, equity and efficiency of resource use within the health system need improvement. Health care financing in Samoa needs to be responsive to increasing challenges. One such challenge is the notable increase in noncommunicable and chronic diseases that are costly and long term and put a lot of pressure on the financing system. Another challenge involves the increasing involvement of the private sector in the provision of health care, which requires clear policy and regulatory actions, including regulation of payments to private providers.

Health financing in Samoa has several advantages.

These include:

• Relatively well-established National Health Accounts (NHA) collect data on health financing to guide health care policy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

47Health Financing Country Profiles, 1995–2008. Manila, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2011.

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• Strong promotion of appropriate and affordable health services aims to enable equal access by all people.

In this regard, there is ongoing work to estimate and standardize costs of outpatient visits at all public health facilities, which will have an impact on service quality improvements.

• There is a strong link between strategic planning and health care financing initiatives. Universal access to affordable health care, achieving universal coverage and strengthening social safety nets are government priorities and principles underlying the HSP 2008–2018.

There are some issues that need careful attention and discussion. These include:

• Increasing user fees and out-of-pocket expenses need close monitoring (within the NHA exercise). User fees and out-of-pocket expenses create barriers to equal financial access to services and disproportionately affect the more vulnerable groups in society.

• The introduction of compulsory social health insurance was discussed for several years but was recently dismissed since actuarial studies show a low contribution base with low levels of formal employment relative to the risk-structure and a high investment necessary to administer and monitor such complex mechanisms. Samoa has a strong prepayment system (tax based) and can focus on how to improve its effectiveness by looking into potential savings.

Sustainable funding for overseas referrals, however, needs a creative solution –private insurance models as well as a regional pool solution might be looked into further. The cost of overseas referral treatment is a major concern. In 2010, for example, Samoa spent almost 11% of their health budget on only 0.1% of the population.

• To maintain good health for all Samoans, appropriate financial support is needed so that people living on outer islands can be referred and have access to health services.

2.4.6 Medical products and technology

Samoa health services suffer from indiscriminate donation and procurement of biomedical equipment. Most of the equipment in health facilities come from different manufacturers, are different models, do not have manuals and are in various states of repair. The Asset Management Information Committee of the Biomedical Engineering Section is responsible for maintaining the inventory of biomedical equipment. Biomedical equipment policies need to be put in place for the procurement/acceptance of biomedical equipment, commissioning of training, maintenance and decommissioning of all biomedical equipment.

The laboratory facility located at the national hospital, TTMH, houses both the clinical and public health laboratories. The laboratories need to be housed in separate facilities to avoid cross contamination and improve the safety of handling pathogens.

The Radiology Department located at the national hospital, TTMH, received a CT scan as a donation from China and there are several X-ray machines in use.

2.5 National responses to overcoming health challenges

The Ministry of Health is responsible for leading the health sector by setting policy and direction, planning, regulating and monitoring. As part of its leadership role, the Ministry produced the Health Sector Plan (HSP) 2008–2018, which outlines a clear national policy direction for the health sector that is aligned with the Samoa Development Strategy 2008–2012. The HSP 2008–2018 was developed in response to the Health Sector Situational Analysis⁴⁸ and previously published Ministry of Health documents and reports. The Health Sector Situational Analysis identified four crucial areas of health challenges that are consistent with recent trends:

48Health Sector Situational Analysis, May 2006.

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• rapidly increasing levels of NCDs, which will have major impacts on the health system, community mortality and morbidity and the economy of Samoa;

• importance of reproductive and maternal and child health for the long-term health of the community;

• emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases; and

• injury as a significant cause of death and disability.

To respond to these challenges, the HSP 2008–2018 identifies six key strategies and defines objectives and outputs to be achieved under each strategy. The six key strategies are:

• strengthen health promotion and primordial prevention;

• enhance quality health care service delivery including management of infectious diseases;

• strengthen governance, human resources and health systems in the sector;

• partnership commitment;

• financing health services; and

• donor harmonization.

In addition, the HSP 2008–2018 identifies several critical issues or long-term health outcomes: maternal and child health; injury prevention; sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS; NCDs; communicable diseases;

strengthening health services; and improved risk management and response to disasters, emergencies and climate change.

The HSP 2008–2018 also provides a platform for the health sector-wide approach (SWAp) programme, which assures significant, ongoing donor funds for the health sector. The Ministry of Health produces policies and documents the status of each policy in a policy register.

Recent notable policies include: Human Resources for Health Policy and Plan of Action 2007; Samoa Mental Health Policy 2006; Primary Health Care Policy 2010; Primary Health Care Strategy 2010; National Non Communicable Disease Policy 2010; Health Promotion Policy 2010; and Tobacco Control Policy 2010. The Ministry of Health has also completed the Demographic and Health Survey 2009, developed a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and produces an Annual Report and set of National Health Accounts each year.

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In 2010, Samoa and Australia approved Partnership for Development Priority Outcome 2: Improved Health Implementation Strategy,⁴⁹ to address:

• noncommunicable diseases through a programme of health promotion and prevention at community and institutional levels; and

• workforce development in the health sector through strengthened training institutions, and improved governance through support for effective statutory bodies and legislative frameworks.

In 2010, the Ministry of Health with NHS launched a series of village health fairs to conduct screening for NCDs and promote prevention and treatment. This campaign complemented the Rotary 5000 project to screen 5000 people for NCDs and refer them for treatment, as required.

Typhoid is a major public health problem. To date, there has been no effective typhoid control programme.

Comprehensive disease burden and disease risk factor data are not available, but a review of hospital records from 2000 to 2011 suggested that the incidence of typhoid has been significantly high—more than 600 clinically diagnosed cases in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007, and around 400 cases annually during the period 2008–2011.⁵⁰

Parliament approved the Samoa National Drinking- Water Standards on 18 March 2009, but implementation guidelines were not developed until May 2009. The infrastructure—testing laboratories, water treatment plants, bore hole well testing and response—may not yet be in place.

The Water for Life: Water Sector Plan and Framework for Action (2008–2011), was revised in 2011, which presented an opportunity to improve implementation of the drinking-water standards and reinforce the standards’

implementation guidelines. The revision is expected to be available in January 2012.

Samoa and America Samoa have entered into a cross- border alliance for encouraging dialogue among their respective health professionals to share experiences from the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic in 2009. The two countries have agreed to meet annually to continue their mutual support. There is a partnership between the Ministry of Health and the Oceania University of Medicine to provide medical training. Stemming from the tsunami in 2009, the Samoa Health Mission was set up as a partnership with Samoan nurses living and practising overseas to provide specialist nursing services in the communities and the hospitals.

49Samoa-Australia Partnership for Development Priority Outcome 2: Improved Health Implementation Strategy, July 2010; p. 1.

50Working document for the 5th Samoa Health Forum, 12–14 December 2011 (unpublished document).

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2.6 Summary of Section 2

Key Health Achievements and Challenges Achievements

• 64% reduction in under-5 mortality from 1990 to 2009

• 73% reduction in infant mortality from 1990 to 2009

• Maintenance of polio-free and measles-free status over last 5 years

• Increase in reported general vaccination coverage

• Decrease of fi lariasis antigen prevalence

• Well-functioning DOTS strategy and a reduction in TB notifi cation rate

• Low reported HIV prevalence

• Government of Samoa and development partners recognize the risks posed by NCDs and have implemented health promotion initiatives to address the increasing incidence

• Universal access to health care services

• Published Health Sector Plan, Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and regular Annual Reports and National Health Accounts

• Published policies for NCDs, human resources for health, health promotion, nutrition, primary health care and tobacco control

• Conduct and publication of Demographic and Health Survey 2009

• Health is a priority for the Government of Samoa and health events receive national media coverage.

Challenges

• NCDs are a critical health issue and behaviour change related to diet, activity, alcohol and cigarette consumption are inherently diffi cult.

• High incidence of chlamydial infection among females indicates widespread high-risk sexual behaviour among this cohort and their partners.

• High suicide rates among young males

• High neonatal mortality rate

• 32% of households without access to safe water supply and continued outbreaks of infectious diseases including diarrhoea and typhoid

• Less than 90% coverage for childhood immunization and low MR coverage

• Low contraceptive prevalence and increasing adolescent birth rate

• Vulnerability and limited capacity to respond to climate change, natural disasters and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases

• Competing health sector priorities and related lack of focussed activity

• Early detection, local treatment and management of illness to reduce use of Overseas Treatment Scheme

• Inadequate stakeholder participation and collaboration in heath activity planning and implementation

• Unavailability of routine health information and data for decision-making

• Monitoring and evaluation of health sector and system performance

• Health worker attrition, recruitment, retention, distribution and skill mix

• Realization and compliance with the Human Resources for Health Policy and Plan of Action

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Country Cooperation Strategy Samoa