Two important milestones were achieved by the Ministry of Health yesterday.
The first was the official opening of a permanent site and specialised incinerator in Tafa’igata to burn waste and discarded materials from various health services. This project is a major step for a safe, healthy, and clean environment in Samoa.
The second was the handover of four new 15-seater vans, donated by UNICEF through funding from the GAVI Support Programme, to assist with the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination rollout and support immunisation programmes for public health and safety.
The new incinerator site in Tafa’igata cost $695,000 to construct. The equipment was funded through the World Bank COVID-19 Project at a cost of USD $1.34 million, roughly SAT $3.5 million. The total cost for the entire project was SAT $4.2 million.
In her keynote address, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa emphasised the importance of having a dedicated site for the incineration of waste from the Ministry of Health.
“The disposal of hospital waste is not only a health sector issue. It is a national concern,” she said.
“Discarded materials such as contaminated dressings, used needles, expired medicines, and waste from lab testing, if not properly disposed of, can pollute our lands and environment, contaminate water sources we depend on, and affect the overall health of the Samoan population.
“This facility will play a vital role in destroying hazardous waste, reducing methane gas emissions, and protecting both our environment and our people from avoidable risks.”
The Prime Minister extended her sincere gratitude to the World Bank and UNOPS for their critical support in providing this essential machinery, and also acknowledged All Electrical Company for the construction of the facility.
As for the second event, the four 15-seater vans were gifted by UNICEF with funding from the GAVI Alliance to support the national immunisation rollout, ensuring this vital service reaches communities across the country.
“These vehicles were procured under Phase III of the COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Project (CDS-III). This support integrates the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines with routine immunisations to ensure all Samoan children and families have access to life-saving vaccines.”
“On behalf of Samoa’s leaders and its citizens, I humbly extend our heartfelt thanks to all our partners who have contributed to these important milestones we are celebrating today.”
MATĀTI’A MAUTŪ MO LE FA’ALELEIA ATILI O LE AUAUNAGA A LE SOIFUA MĀLŌLŌINA
Tusia: Taunuuga Toatasi
E lua nisi o matāti’a tāua ua ausia e le Matāgaluega o le Soifua Mālōlōina e pei ona molimauina ananafi.
Muamua, o le tatalaina aloā’ia o le nofoaga mautū ma le masini fa’apitoa i Tafa’igata e susunuina ai otaota ma lapisi lafoa’i sa fa’aāoga i auaunaga ‘ese’ese a le Matāgaluega o le Soifua Mālōlōina, o se polōketi e telē lona tāua i le si’osi’omaga saogālēmū, mālōlōina lelei ma mamā mo Samoa.
O lona lua, o ta’avale fou e 4, e 15 nofoa, sa agalelei ai le U.N.I.C.E.F. tauala mai i le Polokalame fesoasoani a le G.A.V.I. mo le tufaina o tui puipui o le Koviti – 19, e lagolago ai Polokalame Fa’agasolo mo Tui Puipui mo le puipuia o le soifua manuia ma le saogālēmū o le tatou atunu’u.
E $695,000 sa fausia ai le nofoaga fou e susunu ai ia otaota i Tafa’igata fa’atasi ai ma le masini na fa’atupeina mai le Polōketi a le Faletupe o le Lalolagi mo le Koviti – 19 i le tau e $1.34 Miliona Tālā Amerika e tusa lea ma le $3.5 Miliona Tālā Samoa ma o le aofa’i o lea galuega atoa e $4.2 Miliona Tālā Samoa.
I le saunoaga autū a le Afioga i le Palemia iā Fiame Naomi Mataafa, sa ia toe fa’amanino ai le tāua tele o le i ai o lea nofoaga mautū mo le susunuina o lapisi a le Matāgaluega o le Soifua Mālōlōina.
“O le fa’atama’ia o otaota mai falema’i, e le’o se matā’upu mo na’o le falema’i ma le soifua mālōlōina, ae o se matā’upu tāua mo le atunu’u atoa.
“O fūsiga lafoa’i o gasegase, nila, fuālā’au ua uma le āoga, ma otaota mai su’esu’ega i le falema’i, afai e lē mautū nofoaga e fa’atama’ia ai, e mafai ona fa’aleagaina ai o tatou laufanua ma le si’osi’omaga, a’afia ai tulaga saogālēmū o le suāvai o lo’o tatou tua i ai, fa’apea le soifua mālōlōina lautele o tagata Samoa.
“O lenei nofoaga, o le ā fesoasoani tele e fa’atama’ia ai otaota mata’utia, fa’aitiitia ai le kasa o le methane, ma puipuia ai lo tatou si’osi’omaga ma o tatou tagata mai lamatiaga e mafai ona ‘alofia.”
Na momoli fa’apitoa lava le fa’afetai tele a le afioga i le Palemia i le Faletupe o le Lalolagi, fa’apea le U.N.O.P.S. mo le sao tāua i le saunia o lea masini āoga, fa’atasi ai ma le Kamupanī a le All Electrical mo le fausiaina o lea nofoaga.
Ae o le lona lua o fa’amoemoe o lea aso, o ta’avale (vans) e 4 e ta’i 15 nofoa ua agalelei mai ai le U.N.I.C.E.F. fa’atasi ma le fesoasoani tau tupe mai le Fa’alapotopotoga o le G.A.V.I. e fesoasoani i le fa’atinoga o polokalame tau tui puipui, ina ia maua uma e le mamalu o le atunu’u lenei auaunaga tāua.
“O nei ta’avale sa fa’atauina i le Vaega III o le Polōketi o le Tufaina o le Tui Puipui mo le Koviti – 19 [CDS-III]. O lenei fesoasoani i le tu’ufa’atasia o le fa’afoega o tui puipui o le Koviti – 19 ma tui masani, ina ia mautinoa o lo’o maua e tamaiti ma ‘āiga Samoa uma tui puipui e mafai ona lavea’i ai o latou soifua mai fa’ama’i.
“E avea ai lo’u leo fa’atauva’a e fai ma sui o Ta’ita’i ma tagatānu’u o Samoa, e momoli atu le agaga fa’afetai tele iā tatou pa’aga uma lava sa tofu sao ma togi ma’a i nei matāti’a tāua ua tatou molimauina.”
