Information for Home Based Care

Government of Samoa

Ministry of Health

Information for Home-Based Care

Tips for looking after the patient at home

• Isolate the sick family member to a room or a specific area in the home.
• Keep young babies (under 6 months) and unvaccinated pregnant women away from the patient and not in the same house.
• Do not share bedding, clothing, food or drinks with those unwell with measles.
• Encourage the patient to rest
• Encourage them to drink plenty of water, niu or fruit juice especially if they have a fever
• Help to reduce the fever with cool sponging and/or Panadol. You can also use lau nonu or lau ti to manage the fever.
• If they are hungry, provide them regular meals
• Breastfeeding mothers should practice exclusive breastfeeding of their infants

Parents and individuals should stay alert for measles Danger Signs – bring the patient to hospital immediately if they are getting worse, especially if they show signs of:

• High Fever (temperature)
• Dehydration (crying with no tears, dark urine or low volume)
• Vomiting
• Fits
• Drowsy or difficulty waking them up
• Not eating or drinking (especially children)
• Fast breathing or difficulty breathing

General information :

• Encourage other members of your family in the target age group (6 months – 19 years, and non-pregnant women 20 to 35 ) to get their vaccines.
• There are currently 10 fixed sites in Upolu and 5 fixed sites in Savaii for vaccinations (main hospital and health centres), including mobile teams in both Upolu and Savaii

Further Information:

Please contact the National Emergency Operations Centre on 997/911 if you have any further questions or visit the Minsitry of Health website and Facebook page.