Pacific / Samoa

Wellington's Pasifika festival to donate proceeds to Samoa measles response

08:51 am on 17 January 2020

Proceeds from this weekend's Pasifika festival in New Zealand's capital will go to the Samoa measles response fund.

Wellington Pasifika Festival - Tongan dancers ready to go on stage. Photo: Mark Coote / WCC

About 15,000 people attend the Wellington event each year and this year festival workshops are asking for donations to help Samoa recover from the measles epidemic.

Eighty-three people, mostly children, died in the space of three months - with multiple fatalities a daily occurrence at the height of the epidemic.

More than 1800 of the more than 5600 people infected were admitted to hospital.

Donated funds from Wellington's Pasifika Festival will help the ongoing support New Zealand is providing to Samoa through medical aid and expertise.