“The highlight for me was visiting all the relocated tsunami victims where they had moved inland behind Satitoa and Saleaumua.  The families had moved inland as far as 4 miles.  As we visited we assessed their needs, asking if they had toilet, water, if food and clothing and supplies were still getting to them and also giving basic hygiene education eg to wash dishes, cover food etc as flies were thick.  We vaccinated any babies needing immunisation, checked blood pressures and blood sugars of known diabetics and did daily dressings on some wounds still not healed following the tsunami.
I was so impressed with the state of the wounds considering the lack of resources compared with NZ and the fact they were being dressed in dusty conditions.   Some days we drove on back of the ute and other day we walked all day carrying our vaccines, dressing and supplies.  Just a water bottle from morning till late afternoon.
The Red Cross people situated in the Lalomanu Hospital grounds were constantly going out with supplies.  Large power poles are now erected up the main roads inland but not yet connected to the fales.  Large 5000L water tanks had been installed at intervals by the Red Cross.  Some families were still without toilets, in other areas portaloos had been put up free.   The people seemed to enjoy our visits and talked and talked, mainly reliving and retelling their particular “tsunami story”.  We heard many amazing stories.  The resilience of the people is amazing.  Most were living in a typical Samoan fales with wood carried from their homes destroyed down by the sea, some are still under canvas. 

The nurses cope so well at Lalomanu.  There was only a visiting overseas Doctor there once during my stay, the rest it was totally staffed by nurses.  Resources and medications had been brought in as aid but a shortage was still apparent.  An example of this was a lady who was admitted with uncontrolled hypertension – the only bp medication was nifedipine but with a bp of 160/110 she was suddenly discharged on aspirin as there were no more bp medication to give her. 

It was a real honour and privilege to be part of this Health Mission.  Many thanks,  Faye Momoisea.