‘I feared for the little ones’
She worked in the heart of Wellington’s Pasifika community, then she was asked to help in the heart of the measles outbreak in Samoa.
Three days after she said yes, senior nurse Kailua Faafoi was walking off a plane in Samoa, carrying her vaccination papers, and wondering what she was getting herself into.
Faafoi, who works at Pacific Health Plus in Cannons Creek, Porirua, volunteered to head to Samoa to help with the vaccination effort against measles – the disease that has claimed 78 lives.
The woman with 12 years’ experience in healthcare rolled up her sleeves and grabbed some vaccine.
Faafoi, who returned this week, said she was initially ‘‘really excited’’ but when she was on the plane she realised she did not really know what was ahead of her.
It was the beginning of 10 days spent immunising from 8am to 8pm, in a walkin clinic where community members, from babies to the elderly, arrived for vaccination. ‘‘Because it’s an outbreak, I feared for the little ones – you’ve got the little ones, six weeks, coming into the hospital for the immunisations.’’
The people were worried, she said, with even those in their 80s coming in, despite likely already being exposed to the virus when they were young.
Some came into the clinic too late for immunisation – with high fevers and burning eyes, they were immediately sent to the special unit for people with measles.
One of the saddest things, she said, was talking to some of the nurses she met, who said some of the people were ‘‘presenting too late’’ to be helped.
The staff were happy to see her there – allowing exhausted workers to have a break. She heard just before she left that leave was cancelled for nurses and doctors as the nation continued the fight the virus.
Yesterday, Stuff reported another child has died and 39 new measles cases were diagnosed in the previous 24 hours.
The Samoan death toll was 78, and with just five days until Christmas, a further 15 children, in critical condition, were being monitored closely by doctors. Samoa’s Ministry of Health confirmed 114 people were in hospital because of the disease.
Faafoi, from nearby Tokelau, said she was just glad to offer some help, leaving behind notes of advice for the clinic on improving its systems. She was sent to Samoa by Pacific Health Plus and the Pacific Cooperation Foundation.