WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Samoa’s leading health official has strongly condemned statements made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his hearing for the position of U.S. health secretary, labeling his assertions about the 2019 measles epidemic in Samoa as “a complete lie.” Kennedy claimed that not all individuals who died during the outbreak actually had measles, stating, “We don’t know what was killing them” in reference to the tragic loss of 83 lives, predominantly children under five years old.
Dr. Alec Ekeroma, the Director-General of Health in Samoa, expressed his outrage over Kennedy’s remarks, calling them “a total fabrication.” The comments came as U.S. senators scrutinized Kennedy’s previous visit to Samoa and questioned whether he downplayed his involvement in the epidemic.
The measles outbreak profoundly affected the small Pacific nation in late 2019, where 83 individuals succumbed out of a population of approximately 200,000. The situation was exacerbated by historically low vaccination rates — a result of inadequate public health management and the tragic deaths of two infants in 2018 due to improperly prepared vaccines, which led to widespread fear regarding the safety of the MMR vaccine.
Ten months prior to the outbreak, the Samoan government had halted vaccinations, coinciding with Kennedy’s visit, which was reportedly arranged by an anti-vaccine advocate. In response to inquiries about the impact of his visit, Kennedy denied that it contributed to the anti-vaccine sentiment, but Dr. Ekeroma noted the presence of anti-vaccine groups from New Zealand in Samoa during this time, suggesting that Kennedy’s influence extends well beyond U.S. borders.
During his testimony, Kennedy told Senator Ron Wyden that “most of those people did not have measles” when tissue samples were sent to New Zealand for analysis. Dr. Ekeroma, a medical professional, rejected this claim as a significant denial of the reality, pointing out that medical professionals from multiple countries came to Samoa specifically to treat measles patients.
Although Dr. Ekeroma was not the health chief during the outbreak, he corroborated details with his predecessor, revealing that only one autopsy was conducted, and therefore, no post-mortem samples were sent internationally — a common practice since measles can be diagnosed fairly simply. Blood samples from living patients, however, were tested in Australia and New Zealand, confirming the presence of the same strain of measles that was circulating in New Zealand at that time.
Kennedy stated that he visited Samoa for reasons unrelated to vaccines, asserting he aimed to introduce a medical informatics system to improve health record management. Yet, Dr. Ekeroma challenged this claim, referencing social media posts from anti-vaccine activists who took photos with Kennedy during his stay. One individual later shared their experience on Kennedy’s blog, indicating that they received guidance on alternative treatments during the outbreak, stemming from conversations with Kennedy’s gathered contacts.
In a follow-up blog post from late 2019, Kennedy mentioned discussions with Samoa’s then-prime minister regarding the health outcomes resulting from the “natural experiment” of pausing vaccinations. He later wrote to the prime minister suggesting the possibility that the vaccine might have caused some of the deaths and recommended investigation into the outbreak’s source.
Kennedy repeatedly claimed in his responses to senators that his presence in Samoa had no bearing on the vaccination uptake or the epidemic itself. Despite this, Dr. Ekeroma argued that Kennedy indeed bolstered anti-vaccine sentiment in Samoa, which was further amplified by misinformation spreading via social media. Moelagi Leilani Jackson, a Samoan nurse involved in the vaccination initiatives, remarked that anti-vaccine campaigners became increasingly vocal after Kennedy’s visit, feeling backed by his presence.
Nonetheless, Dr. Ekeroma emphasized that the influence Kennedy sought did not resonate with Samoa’s leaders. Vaccination campaigns resumed in 2019, and measles vaccination is now mandatory for children in Samoa.
As Kennedy awaits confirmation for his potential role as the U.S. health leader, Dr. Ekeroma expressed concern over the implications for Pacific nations. He warned that Kennedy’s appointment could pose a significant risk, as it might jeopardize U.S. support for vaccination programs, making vaccines less accessible for smaller countries like Samoa. He indicated the need for discussions among Pacific nations to strategize on countering Kennedy’s influence if he were appointed.
