4 Oct 2019

Miss Samoa pushes measles message

From , 6:03 am on 4 October 2019

Pasifika pre-schoolers living in Counties Manukau have been identified as the most vulnerable section of the population in the current measles outbreak in Auckland.

An interim report by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service shows half of South Auckland under fives have needed a hospital bed due to measles, with some of them staying longer to treat complications like pneumonia.

A Samoan Public Health nurse, who has recently been crowned Miss Samoa, is using her platform to share the importance of immunisations to parts of the community that often miss regular public health messaging.

Jenny Meyer spoke with Fonoifafo Nancy Mcfarland-Seumanu, or Fono as she is known, about her work in limiting the spread of the highly contagious measles virus.

A poster at a medical centre warns against the spread of measles.

A poster at a medical centre warns against the spread of measles. Photo: RNZ / Rob Dixon