(October 1, 2024)
Talofa and thank you for this opportunity to give the Keynote address as the Patron of the Samoa Cancer Society.
Breast cancer continues to be the most prevalent cancer in Samoa as detected and documented by pathology testing in our National Hospital. While we have high numbers on record, it is thought that these numbers represent only a minority of breast cancers in Samoa due to many factors.
Breast cancer can affect both men and women and in Samoa it is more prevalent amongst women, making up 34% of cancer cases seen in women in Samoa in 2023 Samoa is committed to addressing the burden of breast cancer, addressing all cancers in Samoa and has completed our first Cancer Control Policy and Plan for Samoa.
Considerable consultation and research went into drafting this document, which highlights that one of the main issues with cancer in Samoa is late presentation. This results in people being diagnosed with advanced cancers, which are difficult or impossible to treat. Some of the crucial reasons why patients do not seek help earlier are: cultural, logistics, financial, knowledge, and navigating the health systems and processes in Samoa. The Ministry of Health and the Government of Samoa are committed to addressing these and partnering with the Samoa Cancer Society to manage these issues.
The first Cancer Control Policy and Plan that was launched recently, has ten key priority areas:
1. Health Promotion and Elevation of Health Literacy
2. Cancer Specific Information campaigns
3. Early Detection Programmes
4. Screening programmes
5. Local Diagnostic Services
6. Local Treatment Services
7. Equitable and Cost-Effective Overseas Medical Treatment Program and International Clinical Partnerships
8. Coordinated Palliative Care Services
9. Developing a Cancer Registry and
10.Developing a Cancer Centre.
We will be working in these key priority areas to address the burden of Breast cancer, and all other forms cancer in Samoa. During this month of Pinktober, we support the Samoa Cancer Society in its campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer, and call upon all government departments, businesses and organisations to be involved in raising awareness in your own organisations and offices by wearing pink. I have been told that a representative of the Samoa Cancer Society can join your organisation to host a Question-and Answer session discussing breast cancer, and I encourage everyone to be involved.
In a matter of days, we will host the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) and I encourage you that during this time, for all of us to wear pink, to demonstrate Samoa’s unity in support of Pinktober and raise awareness of breast cancer in Samoa and globally. And on that note, I would like to open the Pinktober campaign
Soifua ma ia Manuia!
Folasaga a le Afioga i le Minisita o le Soifua Maloloina Hon Valasi Luapitofanua Tafito Selesele mo le tatalaina aloia o le Aso Faapitoa mo le faalauiloaina o le Kanesa o le Susu – Oketopa Piniki – Pinktober i Samoa
(Aso Lua 1 Oketopa 2024 ANZ Building APIA 7.30am)
Afioga e,
O le Kanesa o le totoga o le Susu o loo numera tasi pea I le faitau aofai o kanesa I Samoa e pei ona maua mai I faamaumauga a le Matagaluega o le Soifua Maloloina. A e e iai le talitonuga e sili atu se fuainumera o I latou o aafia e le o maua se fuainumera tonu ona o le nisi o mafuaaga e pei o le le o’o mai I le falemai tutotonu mo se fesoasoani. O le kanesa o le susu e aafia tele ai le itupa o tina ae mafai foi ona aafia ai tama e ui ina le taatele.
E 34% o kanesa uma o fafine e mafua mai o le kanesa o le susu e tusa ai ma faamaumauga a le matagaluega I le 2023. Ua faamamafaina e le tatou malo le faatauaina o le Kanesa I Samoa e aofia ai ma le kanesa o le susu, ma ua saunia ai e le matagaluega o le soifua maloloina mo le uluai taimi se faiga faavae atoa ai ma lona faatinoga mo le kanesa I Samoa I ona tulaga uma e tatau ona iai aua se Samoa ia malu puipuia mai lenei faama’I (Cancer Control Policy and Plan for Samoa 2024).
O ia faiga faavae sa tapena lelei I ona tulaga uma e pei ona iai faiga faavae, amata mai I lona faatalanoaina ma le mamalu o le atunuu atoa ai ma faalapotopotoga vava lalata ma soosoo tauau ma le matagaluega e iai lenei Sosaiete taua o le Sosaiete o le Kanesa I Samoa ua leva tausaga o tautua aim o tatou tagata o loo aafia I lenei faamai faigata. Le gata lea o fesoasoani mai I latou mai fafo o iai tomai faapitoa ma ua faia ma le talitonuga o le a maua ai se taiala lelei aua lava le suesueina (screening) ma le vave maua o ituaiga o kanesa eseese e iai le susu, ina ia vave ona faia iai ni togafitiga (treatment) e foia ai (cure) atoa ai ma togafitiga e le o maua I Samoa nei e vave ave ai I fafo e tusa ai ma faiga faavae a lo tatou malo.
O loo iai foi I totonu o lenei faiga faavae iloiloga ma lui tau I mafuaaga e tuai ai ona oo mai se ua maua I le kanesa mo se fesoasoani ina ia soalaupule e latou uma e tau I se ua maua I le kanesa ina ia malamalama lelei ma tali fesili o loo atugaluga ai le paia ma le mamalu o tatou tagata ia faamalieina ma vave ai loa ona faatino togafitiga. O mafuaaga e pei o talitonuga faale lotu, faale aganuu, faaleagaga, o le le lava o le tamaoaiga ma le le lava o le silafai I nei ituaiga o gasegase e tuai ai ona faia togafitiga o loo iloiloina foi I totonu o le tatou taiala. Ua lagolagoina malosi foi e le tatou malo le galulue vava lalata soosoo tauau faipaaga a le tatou Matagaluega o le Soifua Maloloina ma le Sosaiete o le Kanesa i Samoa ina ia maua ai se fesoasoani e tali atu ai I lui tau o lenei faamai o le kanesa I Samoa.
O vaega la nei e sefulu o loo iai I totonu ole tatou faiga faavae o le kanesa (Cancer Control Policy 2024) e mafai ai ona galulue faatasi ina ia maua ma ausia sini autu e pei ona iai.
1. Faalauiloina o le kanesa ina ia alu ai I luga le malamalama o le atunuu e uiga I lenei faamai
2. Faalauiloina faapitoa o ituaiga kanesa eseese mo le silafia e le atunuu
3. Polokalame ia Vave Iloa auga ai o le kanesa (early detection)
4. Polokalame faapitoa mo le suesueina o se ituaiga o kanesa (screening programs)
5. Auaunaga faapitoa mo le suesueina o se kanesa faatinoina I Samoa
6. Togafitiga o le kanesa e faatinoina I Samoa
7. Togafitiga I atunuu I fafo ia maua uma e tagata aia tutusa mo ia togafitiga
8. Auaunaga faalauaitele mo se ua aafia ma ua le maua se togafitiga e toe foia ai le kanesa (Palliative Care)
9. Resitaraina o tagata uma ma ituaiga o kanesa ua faamaonia ua aafia ai.
10. Atinaeina o le nofoaga autu mo le kanesa i Samoa
E maitau atu e tele ni vaega o lenei faiga faavae ma taiala ua leva tausaga ona faatinoina ma faatauaina e le tatou Sosaiete tu maoti mo Kanesa I Samoa. E manaomia pea galuega ma auaunaga a le tatou Sosaiete tu maoti o le Kanesa I Samoa e lagolagosua ma galulue faatasi ma le tatou matagaluega o le soifua maloloina aua le faaauauina o le faatinoina o galuega ma sini autu pei ona auiliili manino I totonu o le tatou taiala.
I le masina lenei o Oketopa e lagolagoina malosi e le tatou malo le taumafaiga a le tatou Sosaiete o le Kanesa I Samoa I le latou polokalame o le Pinktober (Oketopa Piniki) ina ia faalauiloa ai le kanesa o le susu I totonu o si o tatou atunuu.
E faatauina le laei o le ofu piniki I totonu o fale faigaluega I pisinisi ma matagaluega tu maoti atoa ai ma matagaluega uma a le malo ina ia faalauiloa ai lenei kanesa ua tele ina aafia ai le soifua ma le ola o tina ma tamaitai si o tatou atunuu.
Soifua ma ia manuia.
Ata Pueina – Malo o Samoa (Peseta Tusiga Taofiga)
