Samoa Health Chief Denounces RFK Jr.’s Measles Death Claims \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Samoa’s top health official, Dr. Alec Ekeroma, has denounced Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims about the country’s 2019 measles epidemic, calling them “a complete lie”. Kennedy, who is being considered for U.S. health secretary, suggested that many of the 83 deaths were not due to measles, a statement that Ekeroma says is totally fabricated. The controversy has reignited debate over Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stance and his potential impact on global health policies if confirmed to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
RFK Jr.’s Samoa Measles Controversy: Quick Looks
- Samoa’s top health official, Dr. Alec Ekeroma, has denounced Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims about the 2019 measles outbreak, calling them “a complete lie.”
- Kennedy, during his U.S. Senate confirmation hearing for health secretary, suggested that many of the 83 deaths were not caused by measles, despite medical evidence proving otherwise.
- Ekeroma rejected Kennedy’s statement, stating that no postmortem samples were sent to New Zealand and that multiple international medical teams confirmed measles as the cause.
- The 2019 measles epidemic devastated Samoa, where low vaccination rates led to 83 deaths, mostly children under five.
- Kennedy’s 2019 visit to Samoa was arranged by local anti-vaccine activists, and health officials believe he fueled vaccine skepticism in the country.
- Despite Kennedy’s denial, social media posts from anti-vaccine groups in Samoa and New Zealand show him meeting with vaccine skeptics.
- Samoan leaders ignored Kennedy’s views, and the country reinstated mandatory measles vaccinations following the outbreak.
- If confirmed as U.S. health secretary, Kennedy would control global vaccine funding, which could impact access to affordable vaccines in small nations like Samoa.
- Ekeroma warned that Kennedy’s appointment would be “a danger to everyone” and that Pacific nations must strategize to counteract his influence.
Deep Look: Samoa Health Chief Rejects RFK Jr.’s Measles Claims
Samoa’s Director-General of Health, Dr. Alec Ekeroma, has strongly rejected Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s statements about the country’s 2019 measles epidemic, calling them completely false. Kennedy, who is under consideration for U.S. health secretary, suggested during a Senate hearing that many of the 83 deaths from the outbreak may not have been caused by measles, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Kennedy’s claims sparked a strong rebuke from Samoan health officials, who say his statements undermine trust in medical science and fuel misinformation. The controversy highlights concerns over Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views and his potential impact on global health initiatives if appointed to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Kennedy’s Controversial Claims About Samoa’s Measles Deaths
During a tense U.S. Senate hearing, Kennedy downplayed the confirmed measles deaths in Samoa, telling lawmakers:
“We don’t know what was killing them.”
He also suggested that lab tests did not confirm measles in most victims, despite clear medical evidence that the outbreak was caused by the highly contagious disease.
Dr. Ekeroma, speaking to the Associated Press, dismissed Kennedy’s claims as “a total fabrication”, stating:
“The idea that these deaths were not caused by measles is an absolute lie. Medical experts from multiple countries were on the ground treating patients. There is no doubt that this was a measles epidemic.”
Ekeroma further confirmed that no postmortem tissue samples were sent abroad for testing, contradicting Kennedy’s assertion that New Zealand laboratories found no trace of measles in most victims. Instead, blood samples from living patients were sent to Australia and New Zealand, where public health officials confirmed that the virus was the same strain of measles circulating in New Zealand at the time.
The Devastating 2019 Samoa Measles Outbreak
The 2019 measles epidemic in Samoa was one of the deadliest public health crises in the country’s history. The disease claimed 83 lives, most of them children under the age of five, in a nation of just 200,000 people.
Health experts attribute the severity of the outbreak to low vaccination rates, which had plummeted due to public distrust in vaccines following the accidental deaths of two infants in 2018 from improperly mixed measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines. This led to a 10-month suspension of vaccinations, leaving the population highly vulnerable when the outbreak struck.
During this critical period, Kennedy traveled to Samoa, a visit organized by a local anti-vaccine activist. While Kennedy insists he had “nothing to do with vaccines”, Samoan health officials believe his presence emboldened vaccine skepticism.
“Anti-vaxxers from New Zealand came to be with him here. That’s how I know that his influence can be far-reaching,” Dr. Ekeroma said.
Kennedy’s Visit and His Anti-Vaccine Ties
Kennedy claims that his 2019 trip to Samoa was for medical informatics work, stating:
“I went there to introduce a digital health records system, not to discuss vaccines.”
However, social media posts from Samoan anti-vaccine activists show Kennedy posing for photos with prominent vaccine skeptics. A 2021 blog post from Kennedy himself confirmed that he had engaged with anti-vaccine figures in Samoa.
The post also revealed that Kennedy had written to Samoa’s prime minister, suggesting that the deaths could have been caused by the measles vaccine, a claim widely debunked by medical experts.
In response, Dr. Ekeroma dismissed Kennedy’s claims, emphasizing that Samoa’s government and medical community did not heed his advice. In late 2019, Samoa resumed its national vaccination campaign, making measles vaccines mandatory for all children to prevent future outbreaks.
Potential Impact of Kennedy’s Appointment on Global Health
The controversy surrounding Kennedy’s remarks has raised concerns about his potential influence on global vaccination efforts if confirmed as U.S. health secretary.
Dr. Ekeroma warned that Kennedy’s appointment would pose a serious risk to small nations like Samoa, as he would oversee U.S. funding for international vaccination programs.
“If he’s going to be appointed, then we will have to actually discuss around the Pacific as to how we’re going to try to neutralize his influence in the region,” Ekeroma said.
Health advocates fear that Kennedy could restrict access to vaccines for developing nations, making life-saving immunizations more expensive and harder to obtain. Given his long history of promoting vaccine skepticism, global health experts worry that his leadership at HHS could undermine public trust in vaccines worldwide.
Backlash Against Kennedy’s Statements
Kennedy’s statements have drawn strong criticism from medical professionals, public health officials, and political leaders. Critics argue that his misinformation about the Samoa epidemic reflects a broader pattern of undermining vaccines and public health efforts.
Moelagi Leilani Jackson, a Samoan nurse who worked on the vaccination campaign, told the Associated Press that anti-vaccine sentiment grew louder after Kennedy’s visit.
“I feel like they felt they had the support of Kennedy,” she said.
Despite Kennedy’s claims, Samoa successfully restored public confidence in vaccinations, and measles immunization is now compulsory for children in the country.
What’s Next? Senate Decision on Kennedy’s Nomination
As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on Kennedy’s confirmation as health secretary, his statements about the Samoa epidemic have become a major point of contention.
Lawmakers must now decide whether Kennedy’s history of vaccine skepticism and controversial statements make him unfit to lead the nation’s top health agency.
For Samoa and other small nations reliant on U.S. vaccine aid, Kennedy’s leadership at HHS could have long-lasting consequences, shaping global health policies for years to come.
Samoa Health Chief Samoa Health Chief
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