Sometimes, great projects have an interesting way of coming together.

Digicel Pacific, the communications services company that provides mobile, cable TV, broadband, and business solutions throughout the South Pacific, also does so in Samoa, Oceania University of Medicine’s home. Its tagline, “We Are Better Together,” has been driving employee activities and community engagement during the past year, which together with its desire to ensure a healthy future for its Digicel Family, is how it came to team up with OUM to provide its staff with comprehensive medical screenings.

“The Digicel Project mainly started as a way for OUM and the Mental Health Department of the Ministry of Health (MOH) to be more involved with the community here in Samoa,” says Tuifagatoa Dr. George Tuitama, OUM Dean for Samoa, American Samoa, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Asia Pacific (pictured right).

In addition to his medical school role, Dr. Tuitama is currently the only full-time practicing psychiatrist in Samoa. He is also the Registrar and Acting Head of the Mental Health Unit at Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital (TTM) in Apia, and Head of Mental Health Clinical Services for the Samoan National Health System. 

“Because I need to do continuous screening projects for the MOH to better understand and address mental health in Samoa, the plan was to identify people who are vulnerable to mental disorders using various screening tools. Since the idea was also to screen in workplaces, Digicel was a perfect partner,” adds Dr. Tuitama. 

“Dean George” is a regional mental health authority for Samoa and the Asia Pacific. He has attended and facilitated workshops and conferences on topics ranging from child and adolescent mental health to addiction and substance abuse disorders, and adult mental health issues.

Great learning opportunity for medical students

“Due to my involvement with OUM, I thought it would be a great idea to have the medical students help with the project and to screen for both physical conditions and mental well-being,” says Dr. Tuitama. “This provides our students with great hands-on clinical experience, on-the-job learning, research and data collection, and strengthening their patient communication skills. But it also gives them early exposure to being involved in an ongoing first-of-its-kind nationwide screening project,” he says. (Pictured: OUM students at a July screening.)

The Digicel Healthy Minds Initiative aims to screen 20 people during one day each week at various Digicel offices. Once their staff is screened, Dr. Tuitama and the OUM students will move to other workplaces throughout Samoa during the next two years. 

In return, Digicel will assist in providing OUM’s medical students with uniforms and equipment which can be utilized during their community outreach projects. Digicel will also use their communications platforms and media outlets to help build awareness and support for identifying and addressing mental health concerns throughout Samoa and the South Pacific region.

To date, beginning in late 2023, OUM students have conducted screenings at numerous Digicel locations, as well as for youth and residents of Falefa and Vailoa as part of their fellowship conference, giving some who may have never had a physical examination the opportunity to also receive appropriate mental health consultation. 

Blog Feature Image from Digicel Facebook