One of Papua New Guinea’s top Epidemiologists has step up supporting the Mass Vaccination Campaign sanctioned by the Samoa Government to overcome the measles crisis.
Dr Mathias Bauri, Team Leader to PNG’s 14 member Emergency Medical Team responding to Samoa’s’ SOS to the measles crisis is putting his weight behind the Compulsory Vaccination Drive.
And his impeccable experience is evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.
Revered by his country as one of PNG’s best Epidemiologist Dr. Bauri From 2009 has responded to in-country outbreak of infectious diseases threatening PNG which also included the 2014 Ebola Scare, the 2013-2014 Measles Outbreak and last year’s Polio crisis.
And in all the crisis which PNG has endured, he says low vaccination or immunization coverage in the most vulnerable group who are children under 5 years old is the leading cause.
Just this week, the British Medical Journal also published a paper which he co-authored titled, “6 years in the field of Epidemiology Training in Papua New Guinea.”
From Central and Madang provinces, Dr Bauri is a medical graduate from the University of Papua New Guinea.
He holds a Master in Public Health and Master of Business Administration (MPH-MBA) from the James Cook University in Australia and has also done studies in field epidemiology in India complemented by specialised training in the United States.
He has a clear understanding of disease and knowledge in disease surveillance and response.
And he is a current Faculty Member for Epidemiology Training in Papua New Guinea.
So Dr Bauri’s endorsement carries enormous weight sanctioning Samoa’s compulsory mass vaccination as the “right approach.”
After reviewing the local epidemic’s data since arriving from Port Moresby Sunday, he says like the numerous outbreaks of infectious diseases in his country, Samoa’s low immunization coverage had the symptoms of an outbreak which the country is now experiencing.
However, from the successful compulsory vaccination drive “follow up routine immunisation must “be maintained and sustained.”
Samoa is his first infectious diseases outbreak response outside of PNG, but he is looking forward to experience working side by side with the best Emergency Management personnel in the world.
“Our priority is to relieve the Samoan health care providers who need our help,” added the modest Dr. Bauri.
The 14 member Emergency Medical Team from PNG will be working around the clock with their local and international colleagues at the National Hospital.
Their deployment ends on 19 January 2020.
A total of 79 people have died and 5552 cases have been reported in the measles epidemic in Samoa.