Barbara Dreaver | Measles Outbreak in Samoa

During the 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa Barbara Dreaver reported on an ill-equipped healthcare system, complex tensions between traditional and western medicine, and the tragic and preventable loss of life.When the measles virus travelled from New Zealand to Samoa in September of 2019 Barbara Dreaver followed. On the ground, she found herself telling stories of an ill-equipped healthcare system compounded by complex tensions between traditional and western medicine. This formed the backdrop to the raw and tragic loss of 83 lives, with the majority of casualties being children. In this conversation with media chaplain and broadcaster Rev. Frank Ritchie, Barbara opens up about the profound impact those stories had on her, as well as her distinct experiences of being detained in both Fiji and Nauru.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details