The Saletoga Sands Resort has donated 50 doctors garments to the Tupua Tamasese Meaole National Hospital at Motootua.

The resort’s owners, Lou and Gavin Brightwell, told the Samoa Observer in an email that staff at the national hospital are working under immense pressure during the measles epidemic and the resort wanted to support them.

“We are wanting to do our part with helping the hospitals, we know they are under immense pressure right now, and doing everything they can with the resources they have. We thought it would be a good,” Mr Brightwell said in his email. 

“Saletoga is always active in the community with donations and will to help different organizations here in Samoa. My wife and I are leading this donation with the thoughts and warmest regards from the whole team here at Saletoga Sands Resort.”

The donation was done on Monday on behalf of the resort by the Kiwi couple’s close friend, Burnie Port. 

Mr Brightwell said they acknowledged the seriousness of the measles outbreak in Samoa, and have taken the necessary precautions to protect their guests and members of the staff. This includes sending staff to vaccination centers on Upolu to get their vaccine shot.

“We are taking all necessary precautions needed at Saletoga Sands Resort. As we are still running on a high occupancy, the wellbeing of our staff and guests here is extremely important to us,” he said. 

“We are doing our very best to ensure we are informing and educating our staff and guests on this matter with the information given to us by the specific associations dealing with the issue. We have been sending our staff to the nominated local clinics to receive the vaccine. Nothing has changed too much for us with the daily running of the resort.”

Asked on the impact of the measles epidemic on the resort's reservations, Mr Brightwell said they have only had two cancellations by families who initially planned to travel to Samoa, but then realised their children were not immunised.

“So far we have had two cancellations, this was due to underage children traveling who were not yet of age to be immunized, and it was the parents’ wish to cancel their trip for their children's safety which we understand.”