Health
Planned Apia anti-vaccine workshop worries Ministry, WHO
An upcoming anti‑vaccine workshop in Apia raises concerns among Samoa’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization about increased vaccine hesitancy and potential outbreaks of vaccine‑preven
The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have expressed alarm over a planned June workshop in Apia led by controversial anti‑vaccination campaigner Taylor Winterstein. The event, titled “Making Informed Decisions,” is seen as a public health threat, as local medical experts warn that the spread of anti‑vaccine messaging could undermine routine immunisation and leave Samoa’s population vulnerable to serious, virulent viruses. The WHO flags vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten global health risks, noting that it threatens progress against vaccine‑preventable diseases such as measles, dengue, and influenza. WHO’s Western Pacific regional director Dr Takeshi Kasai has stressed that vaccines are safe, effective, and essential for protecting both individuals and those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
- Status
- active
- Location
- Apia, Samoa
- Date added
- 2026-03-31 04:18 UTC
- Added by
- manosantarcticaoceaniaapdrmis
- Last updated
- 2026-03-31 04:18 UTC
- Source
- https://www.samoaobserver.ws
- Connected threats
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- Not Available