The Ministry of Health Samoa successfully conducted a two-day Dengue Clinical Management Workshop at Tupua Tamasese Meaole (TTM) Hospital, 3rd Floor, bringing together frontline healthcare workers from across Upolu, on April 19th and 20th 2026.
The workshop, generously supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), was delivered over two separate days, with 30 participants on Day 1 and almost 40 participants on Day 2. Participants included staff (doctors and nurses) from district hospitals—Sa’anapu, Lufilufi, Faleolo, Lalomanu, and Poutasi—as well as teams from APCC, General Outpatients, Public Health Teams and the Emergency Department.
We were honoured to have Professor Lucy Lum (Malaysia), an internationally recognized expert in dengue and paediatric critical care, who travelled to Samoa to co-facilitate the workshop alongside our local paediatric team: Dr. Farah Fatupaito, Dr. Fiona Hunt, Dr. Litara Esera-Tulifau and Papalii Dr Tito Kamu.
The workshop focused on practical, frontline management of dengue, including:
- Recognizing the different phases of dengue (febrile, critical, recovery)
- Early identification of warning signs and shock
- Understanding fluid balance and dehydration
- Safe and effective IV fluid management
- Hands-on clinical assessment and case discussions
All sessions were designed to strengthen skills for those directly managing dengue patients in our communities.
The workshop concluded successfully with the presentation of certificates to all participants.
A similar workshop for Savai’i will be organized in the near future.
The Ministry of Health acknowledges the continued support of WHO and all healthcare workers for their dedication in strengthening dengue response across Samoa.
