Samoa mobilizes dengue outbreak response with support from WHO and partners

Dengue is on the rise across the Pacific and Samoa is feeling the impact. Driven by climate change, increased travel, growing urban areas, and the circulation of multiple dengue strains, the Pacific region is seeing more cases than ever before. In Samoa, over 12,000 people have been clinically diagnosed with dengue according to the latest government data. Laboratory tests have confirmed over 3,000 of those cases, with the vast majority (91%) linked to the DENV-1 strain. Children and teens under 15 years of age have been most affected.

In response, the Ministry of Health declared a dengue outbreak in April, and the Government activated the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) in July. Since then, the Ministry of Health has teamed up with partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, UNFPA, the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the People's Republic of China, among others, to roll out a coordinated response, working to contain the spread, support communities, and strengthen public health efforts.

With technical support from WHO, Samoa has been strengthening its public health response to dengue, including testing, clinical care, and risk communication and community engagement.

Strengthening testing capacity

To help detect and confirm dengue cases more efficiently, WHO provided rapid diagnostic testing kits to the Ministry of Health. These kits have been crucial in confirming suspected cases more efficiently, allowing for quicker clinical response and case tracking, especially in hotspot areas. Targeted testing also supports better surveillance and helps health workers respond more quickly to emerging hotspots.

Supporting clinical management

Effective clinical management is critical in reducing severe illness and preventing deaths from dengue, especially among vulnerable groups like children. As the outbreak continues, the Ministry of Health is working to ensure that frontline health workers are well-supported in delivering quality care.

To support this, WHO facilitated the deployment of Professor Dr Lucy Lum Chai See, a seasoned paediatrician with over 30 years of experience in dengue case management and paediatric intensive care. She has been visiting health facilities across Samoa, offering hands-on support to health workers and sharing best practices in managing dengue cases. In addition to clinical support, Professor Lum has also contributed to building the capacity of the Ministry of Health's Public Health and Risk Communication and Community Engagement teams to support them in their provision of up-to-date information on management and prevention of dengue in the community.

"We have to get down to the basics so that even resource-limited settings can manage dengue effectively," said Professor Dr Lucy Lum Chai See. "It's not about high-tech solutions-it's about hydration, careful monitoring, and empowering parents to be part of the care process."

^{Professor Dr Lucy Lum Chai See at Faleolo Health Centre as part of the clinical management support with health workers in Samoa. Photo: WHO/Lepaitai Blanche Hansell}

To further bolster clinical capacity, the Government of New Zealand and the Government of Australia have provided personnel.

"NZMAT came in earlier, and then AUSMAT. So they've been helpful because there are so many patients that we see," said Dr Farah Fatupaito, Head of the Paediatric Unit at Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital. "With Professor Lucy, we're so grateful for her expertise. Her experience is amazing. She's been teaching us from day one, and now we know what we should be looking out for, when a child is in the critical phase and we need to act fast before they deteriorate into shock."

^{From left: Dr Farah Fatupaito and Professor Dr Lucy Lum Chai See visit Malietoa Tanumafili II Hospital as part of the dengue clinical management support in Savaii. Photo: WHO/Lepaitai Blanche Hansell}

Empowering communities

In any outbreak, clear and timely communication is essential not just to inform, but to empower communities to take action. Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) play a crucial role in helping people understand how dengue spreads, recognise the symptoms to watch for, and protect themselves and their families.

Led by the Ministry of Health, Samoa's RCCE efforts are supported by WHO, UNICEF and the Government of Australia. Together, they helped develop a suite of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials tailored for schools, workplaces, and communities in both English and Samoan languages. These resources have been widely shared on social media and through on-the-ground outreach. Community engagement activities, supported by UNICEF, are reaching all hotspot districts to raise awareness and promote preventive behaviours. The Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, along with the Samoa Red Cross Society, is also expanding community outreach efforts for dengue prevention and management.

^{Samoa's Ministry of Health conducts community engagement activities with residents of Vaitele as part of ongoing efforts to prevent and manage dengue across the country. Photo: WHO/Faizza Tanggol}

To further support local action, the Ministry of Health is working closely with WHO in developing a community toolkit designed to help families and villages take practical steps to prevent dengue. The toolkit will include easy-to-understand guidance on how to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, understand the mosquito life cycle and how dengue is transmitted, provide home care for mild dengue cases, recognize warning signs of severe dengue, and know when to seek medical attention. By equipping communities with this knowledge, the Ministry aims to ensure that people are not only continuously informed but also empowered to protect themselves and others.

As the dengue outbreak in Samoa evolves, the Ministry of Health and its partners are maintaining a coordinated response to support affected communities and strengthen public health efforts.

"Responding to an outbreak like this is never easy, and the challenges have been real," said Dr Wendy Snowdon, WHO Representative to Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau. "WHO is committed to standing alongside the Ministry of Health not just during this particular outbreak, but in building long-term resilience against future health threats."