Samoa is the first country to use the "Tamanu" electronic register in its COVID-19 vaccination rollout - a permanent electronic medical record of patient vaccinations. 

It allows health workers to track individual patients, providing clinical support and supporting consistent, long-term management of patient conditions. The vaccine information can bstored on both computer and mobile devices

The Australian High Commissioner to Samoa, Sara Moriarty stated in a response to Samoa Observer email queries that Australia is invested in the health security of the region and support to Samoa’s vaccine rollout is comprehensive. 

“At the request of the Samoan Government, Tamanu, an Australian-developed patient-level electronic medical record, is being used as an immunisation register. It is a robust and secure information system that helps track individual patients who have been immunised,” Ms. Moriarty said. 

“This tracking is essential to making sure no one is left behind in the COVID-19 immunisation program. 

Ms. Moriarty explained that the the information collected in Tamanu can be integrated with or routed to an app called Tupaia for advanced data aggregation, analysis and visualisation.

“This means individual patients can be tracked and health care workers can support consistent, long-term management of patients even in the most remote areas,” she said. 

“The Australian Government has committed AUD$5 million over the next three years to roll out ‘Tamanu’ in the region. Fiji will be the next country to begin implementing the registry, with more Pacific countries to follow.” 

She added that Australia has committed WST$155.6 million (AUD$80 million) to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC). 

According to H.E. Moriarty, Australia’s advocacy at global and regional forums, including as Vice-Chair of the Gavi Board, secured inclusive eligibility criteria for COVAX, ensuring that many countries in the Indo-Pacific region have access to COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX AMC. 

“Under our WST1.02 billion (AUD523.2 million) regional Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative, and in partnership with relevant international organisations, we are identifying further opportunities to source suitable supply for our partner countries, including Samoa, as soon as they become available,” she said. 

“Australia has also announced a further WST$195 million (AUD$100 million) for a landmark vaccine partnership with Quad partners, the US, India and Japan, which will provide over one billion vaccines to the Indo-Pacific by 2022.” 

The Ministry of Health has been contacted for a comment.