Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Every year 10 Samoan women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, a disease which leads to death if detected late and can be prevented through vaccination.

The ministry is working on a new vaccination program.

Cervical cancer is currently the sixth most common form of cancer in Samoa, according to the Ministry of Health’s newly approved Cancer Policy and Action Plan (2024-2029). 

The disease, which is caused primarily by the human papillomavirus (HPV), is preventable through early vaccination and regular screenings.

“We are developing a comprehensive cervical screening program in April that includes local and international stakeholders,” said Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma, Director General of Health. 

“Before we launch the program nationwide, we must prepare thoroughly, which includes upgrading all our curative services, procuring equipment and consumables, as well as providing additional training for nurses and gynaecology staff.” 

With a new national HPV vaccination and cervical screening program in development, health officials are determined to reduce the number of women affected by the disease each year.

The HPV vaccine, which prevents infection with high-risk strains of the virus linked to cervical cancer, is already widely administered in Samoa. According to health data, 85 per cent of Year Eight girls received the vaccine in 2023, and the government aims to increase this number further. The new screening initiative aims to reach 80 per cent of eligible women by 2029 through a combination of HPV testing and routine gynaecological exams.

Early detection remains a critical focus of Samoa’s cancer strategy.

(Samoa Observer)

U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

Election officials from across the U.S. territories will gather on Guam for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s standards board region six meeting, scheduled for March 19 and March 20.

The meeting will cover grants management, audit requirements, cybersecurity, and emergency management. Officials from American Samoa, the CNMI, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will also discuss election systems in their jurisdictions.

U.S. EAC Chairman Benjamin Hovland and Commissioner Christy McCormick will arrive on March 16.

Guam's representatives on the board include GEC Program Coordinator Christiana Ramirez and GEC Executive Director Maria Pangelinan, who currently serves as Vice Chairperson of the Standards Board.

(KUAM News)

VANUATU EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY

Vanuatu authorities have reopened parts of Port Vila's central business district more than two months after it was devastated by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake.

Fourteen people were killed in the December 17, quake, which caused extensive damage and flattened parts of the CBD.

Vanuatu's government says buildings will now have to be demolished due to structural damages, including the city's main market.

The ABC reported that Vanuatu's Minister for Internal Affairs Andrew Napuat said there are works that need to be done on the roads, drainage, and sewage systems before a total reopening of the CBD.

(RNZ Pacific)

Fiji HIV OUTBREAK

The HIV outbreak in Fiji may be more severe than publicly acknowledged, with estimates suggesting three times as many people are living with the virus compared to official figures.

A new emergency health task force believes the actual figure is as high as 6100, driven by intravenous drug use.

Official government figures show that at least 1000 Fijians were diagnosed with HIV between January and September last year, a 9-fold increase from the 120 new infections recorded in all of 2019.

Benar News reports health experts and community groups saying that years of underfunding for HIV programs have severely weakened the country's prevention and treatment systems.

(RNZ Pacific)

WHOOPING COUGH EPIDEMIC

Samoa's cases of whooping cough in the current epidemic have passed 400.

The country's Ministry of Health said just over half - 205 cases - are under the age of 5.

Samoa declared an outbreak of the disease on November 28, 2024, after the 'earliest onset of cough' was reported on September 16.

New Zealand declared an epidemic on the disease around the same time - the fourth since it became a notifiable disease in the country in 1996.

(RNZ Pacific)

CONTRABAND SEIZED

The Fiji Corrections Service has seized contraband, including drugs, at the Suva Remand Center.

The Fiji Times reported that the forbidden items included marijuana, methamphetamine, gas lighters, mobile phones, smoking apparatus, syringes and screwdrivers.

Commissioner of Corrections Dr Jalesi Nakarawa said they are "rigorously addressing" the smuggling of contraband, but they are also dealing with severe overcrowding.

He said more than 400 inmates are housed in the 200-capacity center.

(RNZ Pacific)

PNG MARINE RESOURCES

Prime Minister James Marape is in Solomon Islands to discuss the sustainable use of marine resources.

The Honiara Summit, with the theme "Iumi Tugeda Delivering on SDG14.4: Achieving Sustainable Fisheries," aims to address the sustainable use of marine resources, including tuna.

Global concerns about tuna supply in the Pacific are mounting due to the impacts of climate change and overfishing.

Rising sea temperatures may cause tuna populations to migrate away from the exclusive economic zones of Pacific island nations and into international waters, threatening the economic stability of these nations.

The summit is hosted by the Solomon Islands Government with support from the Forum Fisheries Agency.

(RNZ Pacific)

HAWAII FIREWORKS EXPLOSION

A Kapolei man has avoided jail time but was given a US$5,000 fine for the distribution of illegal fireworks in Hawaii.

It comes after a stash of fireworks exploded in Honolulu on New Year's Eve, killing six people and seriously injuring others.

A police report obtained by Civil Beat revealed Daniel Young was arrested in December 2023 for selling US$1500 worth of fireworks to an undercover officer posing as a buyer on Facebook Marketplace.

He pleaded no contest to possession of pyrotechnics without a license, and the sale of fireworks to someone who did not have a valid permit, which are both felonies.

He was sentenced to four years of supervised release and a $2,500 fine for each charge.

Young's attorney told the court the New Year's Eve tragedy was like a "light bulb" for his client and he was "somewhat relieved that this is happening because he thinks he is now made aware that things could have been much worse".

The attorney said Young turned to selling fireworks for quick money after losing his job during the pandemic and suffering from a stroke.

(RNZ Pacific)

EPC APOLOGIZES FOR RECENT POWER OUTAGES

The Electric Power Corporation (EPC) has announced system improvement measures, and extends its sincere apologies to all customers for the recent power outages, especially the Blackouts, experienced on Sunday, Feb. 23rd and last night Tuesday, Feb. 25th.

“We understand the inconvenience caused by these disruptions and assure the public that we are taking urgent action to resolve the issue and restore a stable electricity supply.

“The outages have been caused by a fault in the underground high-voltage cable between Siusega and Fuluasou, which is EPC’s core transmission line from the main power station (Fiaga) to substations for power distribution.”

To resolve this issue, EPC will begin construction of an overhead power line starting this Friday 28th Feb 2025.

This project involves:

1  Replacing the 2km underground cable from Siusega to Fuluasou with a new 1.7km overhead line to improve system stability.

2  Decommissioning the faulty 2km underground section while maintaining the underground redundancy line.

3  The new overhead line will also be from a new route near Faleata Golf Course

EPC continues that it is committed to providing a safe, stable, and reliable electricity supply and will continue to update the public as these improvements progress.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve these issues.”

(Press release — Electric Power Corporation)