Tuitama Talalelei Tuitama | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Women, Community and Social Development | |
| In office 27 April 2019 – 9 April 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi |
| Preceded by | Faimalotoa Kika Stowers |
| Succeeded by | Leota Laki Lamositele |
| Minister of Health | |
| In office 21 March 2011 – 27 April 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Gatoloaifaana Amataga Alesana-Gidlow |
| Succeeded by | Faimalotoa Kika Stowers |
| Member of the Samoa Parliament for Aana Alofi No. 1 East | |
| In office 4 March 2011 – 9 April 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Aiono Tile Gafa |
| Succeeded by | Fesolai Apulu Tuigamala |
| Member of the Samoa Parliament for Va'a-O-Fonoti | |
| In office 2 March 2001 – 4 March 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Molio'o Teofilo |
| Succeeded by | Tialavea Fea Tionisio Seigafolava |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Human Rights Protection Party |
Dr Tuitama Leao Talalelei Tuitama is a Samoan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.
Personal life
Tuitama trained as a medical doctor, working at Samoa National Referral Hospital and in private practice.[1] He served as the president of Samoa's GP's association.[2]
He is married to Letelemalanuola Tuitama and is a member of the EFKS Church.[3]
Political career
He was first elected to Parliament in the 2001 Samoan general election, representing the seat of Va'a-O-Fonoti. He was re-elected in 2006, but had to defend an electoral petition accusing him of corrupt practices.[4] He was subsequently appointed Associate Minister of Health, a position he held from 2006 to 2010.[1]
At the 2011 election Tuitama shifted seat to A'ana Alofi No. 1, and after being elected was appointed Minister of Health.[5] He was re-elected in the 2016 election, and retained his portfolio.[6][7] As Health Minister he focused on non-communicable diseases,[1][8][9] and oversaw a merger of health agencies.[10]
In April 2019 he was replaced as Health Minister by Faimalotoa Kika Stowers in a cabinet reshuffle, taking up Stowers' portfolio of Women, Community and Social Development.[11][12] In that role, he encouraged vaccination to combat the 2019 Samoa measles outbreak.[13]
In October 2020 he decided not to stand at the April 2021 election.[14]
In February 2021 he warned Samoa's village mayors that they must support the government or resign.[15]
References
- 1 2 3 "Keynote Speakers". Public Health Association of NZ. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ↑ "Doctor in Samoa concerned about lack of accurate records". RNZ. 17 December 2002. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Minister of Women, Community and Social Development". Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ↑ "Samoa's Registrar of electors and voters accused of corruption". RNZ. 28 April 2006. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Dumped Samoa minister says she's happy on the back benches". RNZ. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Many New Faces in Samoa Cabinet". Talanei. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Former Samoa deputy PM left out of cabinet". RNZ. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Samoa looks to whole of government approach to tackling NCDs". RNZ. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "80 percent of Pacific deaths because of NCDs – Samoa govt". RNZ. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ Deidre Tautua-Fanene (23 August 2018). "Cabinet approves merger of health agencies". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Samoa prime minister reshuffles cabinet". RNZ. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ Talaia Mika (3 May 2019). "Dr. Tuitama bids farewell to Ministry of Health". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ Sapeer Mayron (18 October 2019). "Women, Chiefs can combat measles epidemic". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (3 November 2020). "Olo sues Speaker over vacated seat". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ↑ "Samoan mayors warned they should support government". RNZ. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
