A team of doctors, students and professors from Brigham Young University (B.Y.U.) in Provo, Utah, United States donated medical supplies and equipment to the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital on Thursday.

Items donated included five new hospital beds, incubators and various medical supplies. B.Y.U. Professor, Namulauulu Dr. Gaugau Tavana, said various medical agencies and organisations contributed to the donation.

“We work in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (M.O.H.) and we hope to continue this assistance in the future," he said. 

“It is our hope that this assistance will help our local medical professionals to provide quality health care for the people of Samoa.

“The ultimate assessment will come from those who have received the donation from us and we are also grateful to the Samoan Government, who has endorsed a five-year contract which allows us to come and help,” said Namulauulu.

M.O.H. Acting Deputy Director General of Clinical Services, Tevaga Dr. Ponifasio Ponifasio, acknowledged the kind donation. 

“On behalf of the M.O.H., we would like to say thank you for your support and assistance towards our hospital. Not every day we receive medical equipment that is worth a lot of value and this will be utilised within our hospitals to provide health care to our people.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has provided numerous support over the past years towards the hospital like wheelchairs.

"We are very fortunate to receive medical equipment like incubators used for the newborns to keep them warm straight after child birth, these are very expensive machines, which is why we extend our sincere gratitude."

The group of 50 from B.Y.U. is in Samoa for a rheumatic heart disease programme. They visited both Savai'i and Upolu to screen more than 1,000 students in primary schools.