Government Aspires to have a Samoan Forensic Pathologist, and Stop Relying on Neighboring Countries

2026-02-07 - 07:19

PM ON A POTENTIAL SAMOAN FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST, By: Leota Marc Membrere. Samoa continues to rely on the arrival of forensic pathologists from New Zealand and Fiji to carry out autopsies in cases of unexplained or suspicious deaths, to determine the cause of death. However, the Government’s long-term vision is that a day will come when a Samoan will dedicate themselves to mastering this important field, and be able to carry out this work Prime Minister of Samoa La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polata’ivao Fosi Schmidt in his weekly press conference expressed his aspiration and hope that the time will soon come when a Samoan will be fully qualified, possessing the complete expertise and specialised knowledge, to conduct investigations into unexplained deaths. If someone is eventually trained and certified for this role, it would mean that one of the Government’s aspirations has been fulfilled, said Laaulialemalietoa. It would also provide reassurance and relief for the nation, rather than having to depend on assistance from neighboring countries for such an essential service. This reliance has often resulted in delays to certain investigations and court decisions, due to waiting for the availability of a specialist doctor from Fiji or New Zealand to conduct post-mortem examinations to determine the cause of sudden deaths. Photo: Leota Marc Membrere