Country Report

By: Dr Tala Vaa

SAMOA

Location Located East of the International date line and

South of the equator. Appoximately halfway between Hawai‘i and

New Zealand in the Polynesian region of the Pacific Ocean.

Total land area is 2934 km² consisting of the two large islands of Upolu and Savaii.

Also 2 tiny Islands of Manono and Apolima between the main Islands.

Location

Location

Ancient Samoan Warrior

Ancient Weapons

History First European contact began in the early 18th

century by Jacob Roggeveen, a Dutchman in 1722. Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, a French explorer

named them the Navigator Islands in 1768. Limited contact before the 1830s which is when

English missionaries and traders began arriving. Mission work in Samoa had begun in late 1830 by

John Williams, of the London Missionary Society. Samoans had a reputation of being savage and

warlike, as they had clashed with French, British, German, and American forces, who by the late 19th century were greatly interested in Samoa.

Traditional Samoans

Traditional Samoan wedding Female warriors

History Continued At the turn of the twentieth century, the

Tripartite Convention partitioned the Samoan Islands into two parts.

The Eastern Island group became a territory of the United States known as American Samoa in 1900.

The Western Islands was known as German Samoa after Britain vacated all claims to Samoa and accepted termination of German rights in Tonga and certain areas in the Solomon Islands and West Africa.

On 29 August 1914, New Zealand seized control from the German authorities by force following a request by Britain.

History Continued Mau movement in the early 1920s. Black Saturday in Apia on 28 December

1929. Samoa gained independence in 1962 and

signed a Friendship Treaty with New Zealand.

Samoa was the first country in the Pacific to become independent.

The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.

Traditional Samoan Tattoos

Today Traditional Tattoos are still practiced and respected

Political system Constitutional monarchy governed under the

constitution of 1962. Parliamentary democracy. The Head of state, who is chosen from among the

royal families, is elected by the legislature for a five-year term, with no term limits.

The head of government is the prime minister, appointed by the head of state with the approval of the legislators. The unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) consists of 47 chiefs elected by village-based districts, and 2 members elected by voters without village affiliation, mainly non-Samoan or part Samoan voters; all serve five-year terms.

Administratively, the country is divided into 11 districts.

Political Districts

Upolu (including minor islands)1. Tuamasaga (Afega) 2. A'ana (Leulumoega) 3. Aiga-i-le-Tai (Mulifanua)4. Atua (Lufilufi) 5. Va'a-o-Fonoti (Samamea)

Savai'i 6. Fa'asaleleaga (Safotulafai) 7. Gaga'emauga (Saleaula) 8. Gaga'ifomauga (Safotu) 9. Vaisigano 10. Satupa'itea (Satupa'itea) 11. Palauli (Vailoa i Palauli)

Demographic Data

According to CIA World Factbook

Samoa has a population of 182,265.

92.6% are Samoans.

7% are half casts (mixed origins).

0.4% are Europeans.

Predicted age and sex distribution for the year 2010

P

http://www.nationmaster.com/country/ws-samoa

Samoan coat of arms

Religion (Approx. 98% Christians) 2001 Census Congregationalist 34.8% Roman Catholic 19.6% Methodist 15% Latter-Day Saints 12.7% Assembly of God 6.6% Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5% Other Christian 4.5% Worship Centre 1.3% Unspecified 1.8%

Catholic Church

Environment

International agreements > Party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Economy

The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on:

Development aid ( JICA, WHO, SPREP ) Family remittances from overseas Agriculture ( featuring coconut cream,

coconut oil, copra and nonu products – 90% of exports )

Fishing Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting

for 25% of GDP

Other Data Literacy > Total population - 99.7% Life expectancy at birth > Female 74.55yrs Life expectancy at birth > Male 68.76 yrs Smoking prevalence, females > % of adults

24 % Smoking prevalence, males > % of adults

60 % Population density - 80.69 people per sqkm Largest city with population - Apia - 32,859

Samoan Health Division

HEALTH SECTOR

National Health Services(NHS)

Ministry Of Health(MOH)

T.T.M Hospital in Motootua

MOH OutlinesUpolu Dental Clinic

The National Dental Service provides Primary, Secondary and limited Tertiary services from its Main Clinic at Tupua Tamasese Meaole (TTM) hospital.  The clinic is staffed by Dental Officers, Dental Therapists, Dental Technicians and Dental Hygienists.  It also acts as a referral Clinic for dental patients requiring to be transferred overseas for further treatments.  The dental service in the schools and the rural communities is provided by dental therapists under the preventive dental health program.

(Extracted from MOH website)

Dental Therapists in action

Data Available? Internationally accepted criteria established by the World Health

Organization were used to obtain estimations of dental parameters in Western Samoa. A total of 1,680 subjects were presetected with the aid of a table of random digits from a sampling frame prepared by the World Health Organization's Filariasis Control Project, and a stratified multi-stage design was adopted. The Dental Health Unit of the World Health Organization, Geneva supplied the basic data forms, prepared the computer program and processed the results. Dental caries indices in Western Samoa were shown to be very low, as were point prevalence rates for oral mucosal diseases, dentofacial anomalies and conditions needing immediate attention. Intense gingivitis among adolescents and destructive periodontal disease in adulthood were widespread and there was an unmet need for dentures in older age groups.

Rex Camrass, Dental Health Services, Government of Western Samoa, Apia, Western Samoa in the year 1973.

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119666733/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Oral and Dental Health ServicesOrganization and main tasks

To ensure good quality dental care is given to all patients of every type.

Deliver community dental services to rural areas and also including all schools both in Savaii and Upolu islands.

To offer all types of dental services available to the general public offering:

- Emergency treatment and consultation - Treatment planning and further management - Referrals either locally or international, if special

treatment is needed.

Continued

To offer dental health services which are efficient and effective, can be sustained, accessible, affordable and equitable in accordance with dental standards and policies.

Dentistry in Samoa There are currently 8 dentists working in the

public sector including the dental manager.

2 dentists are in the private sector

Current population is rounded off to approximately 180,000 thus 1 dentist to 18,000 people

Workload can be difficult at times!?

DiscussionOral health problems in Samoa

High caries rate is evident in the amount of extractions performed daily in the dental clinic and effects all age groups.

There are also many periodontal diseases in the elderly population especially in rural areas.

Usually patients come when there are not many options left other than extractions. This puts increasing work load on dental technicians.

Cellulitis cases are common and also prescriptions are given on a daily basis.

Lack of RESEARCH and data. (Epidemiological)

Other dental problems Other problems include self treatments of

patients with traditional medicines, e.g massaging cellulitis etc.

(80% of land is customary land. 20% is freehold.)

Lack of dental materials or other resources. Low salaries can possibly mean poorer

quality of work. (e.g hardly any assistants)

Discussion on solutions Increase awareness of dental education to

suite Samoan culture and religion. Also to be consistent.

- Involve influential figures such as religious leaders, chiefs, famous people.

- Use latest technology and advertisement schemes to sell the idea.

- Target primary prevention in villages e.g TBI, OHI, Diet counselling.

Increase Research perhaps in the MOH sector for current data that can be readily accessible.

References Wiley interscience, Community dentistry and oral epidemiology,

website http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119666733/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.nationmaster.com/country/ws-samoa

Wong Hee Deong. Symposium on the Development of an Oral Health Policy - Mission Report, 1994. WPRO / WHO. n.a. = data not available

Pictures extracted from these websites; www.lizasreef.com www.theage.com.au

images.nationmaster.com www.lib.utexas.edu www.electionguide.org www.janesoceania.com www.rugbyheaven.com.au www.polynesia.com

www.newspapercountry.com

commons.wikimedia.org

www.orientpacific.com.au

Any Important Questions ?