“We are trying to stay ahead of this amoebic dysentery and we don’t want to repeat how we reacted towards the recent pink eye — where we were kind of taking a reactive position while the pinkeye was spreading,” said the Lt Governor’s Executive Assistant Solomona Auelua.

The Executive Assistant confirmed with Samoa News that Lt Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga, who’s Acting Governor, held a meeting with the Directors of the Department of Health, ASPA and ASEPA on this matter.

DoH Medical Director, Tamasoali’i John Tufa had speculated that it’s contaminated water that is causing the spread of the amoebic dysentery infection being seen at the hospital, because, he noted, the cases are scattered all over the island, not just from one village.

Auelua told Samoa News the Lt Governor is very concerned about this issue which is why the meeting was held.

Tamasoali’i told Samoa News last week that close to 30 people have been affected by the outbreak and half of those have been admitted to the LBJ hospital. The doctor said they are warning the public to heed the boil water notices that are in effect for certain areas of the territory.

ASPA CEO Utu Abe Malae told Samoa News yesterday morning that he received a report today from ASEPA of the water quality tests of 17 locations or homes of victims associated with the outbreak of amoebiasis.

“Sixteen of the 17 tested negative for two kinds of indicator bacteria: Total Coliform and Fecal Coliform. Fecal coliform is associated with fecal contamination of the water.”

Utu also said that the chlorine levels were good. He told Samoa News that all sixteen sites were served by government water; the 17th location tested positive for both total and fecal coliform — this water was sourced from a village system rather than the government system.

However, just because it tested positive for coliform does not mean this water was the source of the amoeba. ”Public Health has to take more samples and perform the standard epidemiological protocol,” he noted.

“I hope they do this fast! he said.

He further pointed out that is why he was alarmed when a Public Health doctor at DoH speculated on the source of the outbreak.

“LBJ and Public Health must take this matter seriously and assign a can-do team to determine the source of the amoebiasis outbreak and solve the problem.” Utu stated. He further pointed out that this type of amoebic dysentery is associated with poor countries which have poor sanitation — and this should not be happening in a US Territory.  

Utu told Samoa News that slide show presentations were shown at the meeting of the homes where the positive cases of amoebiasis were found, and he said that people need to clean up their homes and surroundings.

“No, it isn’t a matter of poverty — it is a matter of education, training, pride and just cleaning up,” he said.

Last week Utu pointed out there was no certainty as to the source of amoebic dysentery contamination which is currently spreading — it could be tap water, rainwater, village water, leaky cesspools, bathrooms with no lavatories, food handling with contaminated hands, and the infection can be spread from person to person.

”We have to satisfy ASEPA that the water distribution system there can be physically separated from the central system. Boiling is important because some parasites are resistant to chlorination,” he noted. Utu said that more responsible individuals would implement a more organized way of sharing data of cases such as amoebiasis at the hospital vis a vis Public Health.

“ASPA is drilling new wells that are not influenced by surface water; abandoning those that are; and increasing contact time of chlorine with water in the system,” he told Samoa News.

The DoH Medical Director told Samoa News earlier that amoebic dysentery is an infection of the intestine (gut) caused by an amoeba called Entamoeba histolytica that, among other things, it can cause severe diarrhea with blood, but it may also cause milder chronic symptoms.

Another doctor with LBJ said the infection can be extremely painful, especially in children; but the hospital does have the medicine to treat it.

In the meantime, ASEPA has forwarded their report to the Department of Health, which includes the findings of the water quality of the families, which DoH claims they suspected were affected with the amoebic dysentery,

Samoa News asked for that report, however there was no immediate response. Samoa News also sent queries to the Lt Governor as to what further action will be taken by the administration against the presence of amoebic dysentery on island, but as of press time, there has been no reply.