Among the issues to be shared by Samoa health officials during the 5th Bilateral Health Summit, which opens today, at the Gov. H. Rex Lee Auditorium, is the country’s Ebola preparations to ensure that the virus that does spread if it reaches its shores.

Samoa’s Ebola preparations have been in place since July prior to hosting a UN conference. Health Ministry says the country is looking to boost its border control and is preparing a new health declaration form which will alert authorities to anyone arriving with symptoms of viruses such as Ebola.

The country’s Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri, told reporters late last month that a small room has been set up at the Faleolo International Airport for any patient who may need to be isolated immediately and the government is educating staff.

And if necessary Faleolo hospital could be run as a quarantine space for Ebola patients with the public diverted to other hospitals, he said.

Meanwhile, health officials from regional organizations are also in attendance for the two-day health summit. An ava ceremony is set for 7a.m today at the Su’igaula o le Atuvasa at Utulei Beach to welcome delegates to the summit, which officially opens at 8a.m. (See Samoa News edition of Nov. 6th for details of other issues covered in the summit)

Because of the health summit, Department of Health says the women’s after hour clinic at the Tafuna Health Center and the DOH Breast and Cervical Cancer Clinic in Fagaalu will be closed today and tomorrow. The clinics will resume on Nov. 17.