- No policy
Suicide and mental health
Police records counted 28 suicides in 2022, up from 19 in 2021 1. Data from the Faʻataua le Ola group showed 77 suicides from 2019 to 2022, about 20 a year 2.
Government: The Ministry of Health's mental health unit had one psychiatrist, according to a Samoa Observer article whose page date (1 October 2025) may not be its first publication date 3. A Samoa Observer editorial says the suicide prevention helpline was no longer available from February; the page does not give the year 4. No funded mental-health measure was found in either budget address, and no mental-health pledge was found in reports of the FAST 2025 manifesto.
Sources (4)
- Suicide concerns mental health boss
- Suicide prevention - Help is just a call away
- Suicide concerns mental health boss
- Suicide prevention - Help is just a call away
- No policy
Learning in school
In 2021, 79% of School Certificate students scored at the failing Beginner level in maths 1. In 2025, 94% of children completed primary school but only 39% completed secondary 2.
Government: In 2023, secondary enrolment was 72.9% for poor children against 84.7% for others 3. The Ministry of Education's numeracy policy covers 2024–2029 and was set before this government 1. No new funded literacy or numeracy measure from this government was found.
Sources (3)
- National Numeracy Policy (NNP) 2024 - 2029
- Samoa DHS-MICS 2025 Snapshot of Key Findings
- Samoa Monetary Poverty Assessment 2023
- No policy
Dengue fever
From 1 January 2025 to early October 2026 there were 20,374 clinically diagnosed dengue cases, 5,547 laboratory-confirmed cases and nine deaths 1. Children under 15 make up 73% of cases, and weekly cases rose 73% in the week to 4 October 2026 23.
Government: No dengue measure was found in the 2025/26 or 2026/27 budget addresses. No government dengue plan with its own budget figure was found.
Sources (3)
- Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 20 October 2026
- Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 20 October 2026
- Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 20 October 2026
- Announced, not funded
Cost of living and poverty
In 2023, 15.2% of people lived below the basic-needs poverty line of SAT$4,222.62 per adult a year, and children aged 0–14 had the highest rate, 17.6% 12. Prices rose 5.8% in the year to June 2026 and 3.4% in the year to September 2026, driven mainly by fuel and transport 3.
Government: The FAST 2025 manifesto promised monthly cash support of SAT$360 to SAT$770 for families earning under SAT$20,000 a year 4. No source found shows this payment has started. The manifesto also promised to lift the tax-free income threshold from SAT$15,000 to SAT$20,000 5. Both of Laʻauli's budgets kept VAGST and income tax rates as they were 6. A Samoa Observer review on 15 September 2026 said several of the biggest election pledges remain unfulfilled 7.
Sources (7)
- Samoa Monetary Poverty Assessment 2023
- Samoa Monetary Poverty Assessment 2023
- Fuel and transport costs lift inflation
- More promises, FAST and its manifesto
- FAST Manifesto Promises Tax Cuts and Support to Industry
- Budget Address 2025/2026: Together we rise, guided by the past, to strengthen the present, and secure the future through this People’s Budget
- FAST Government one year on: What has been delivered and what remains
- Announced, not funded
Affording healthy food
In 2023, 4.4% of people lived below the food poverty line 1. In 2025, over 40% of households could not afford a nutritious diet, and an all-local nutritious diet cost twice as much as one with imported food 2.
Government: The FAST 2025 manifesto said baby formula, basic food and farm-to-market goods would be VAT-exempt 3. A price control order set wholesale and retail prices for essential foods from 6 February 2026 4. The manifesto also flagged SAT$50 million for commercial farming for export 5.
Sources (5)
- Samoa Monetary Poverty Assessment 2023
- Cost of the Diet Analysis in Samoa, August 2025
- More promises, FAST and its manifesto
- 2026 price order released
- FAST Manifesto Promises Tax Cuts and Support to Industry
- Announced, not funded
Young people without work
In 2022, 13.4% of young people aged 15–24 in the labour force were unemployed, and 30.1% of young people were not in work, school or training 12.
Government: The FAST 2025 manifesto promised to hire high-performing school leavers into the public service 3. No youth-jobs target or dedicated youth employment scheme was found.
Sources (3)
- 2022 Samoa Labour Force and Child Labour Survey Report
- 2022 Samoa Labour Force and Child Labour Survey Report
- More promises, FAST and its manifesto
- Announced, not funded
Seasonal work abroad and families apart
At the end of March 2026, over 6,200 Samoans were working abroad on the RSE and PALM schemes, equal to 16% of Samoan men aged 20–49 12. On 18 February 2026 the Prime Minister said 30 people had died while on seasonal work in Australia and New Zealand 3.
Government: In February 2026 the Prime Minister cited 3,000 workers for New Zealand, 3,000 for Australia and 1,000 for American Samoa, and said numbers going overseas must be reduced 4. Talamua reported the same figures as workers already employed, not as limits, so sources differ on what the numbers mean 5. Reforms described by Devpolicy in October 2026 set a yearly cap of 10,000 workers, 5,000 per scheme, down from 12,000 6. Registration is now limited to unemployed people aged 21–45 7. Devpolicy says the cap is nominal because worker numbers have plateaued 8. No primary Cabinet release on these reforms, and no funded support for families left behind, was found.
Sources (8)
- Samoa's 2026 labour mobility reforms: are they supported by evidence?
- Samoa's 2026 labour mobility reforms: are they supported by evidence?
- Govt puts a cap on seasonal workers
- Govt puts a cap on seasonal workers
- PM Cautions Against Labour Drain on Samoa’s Economic Stability
- Samoa's 2026 labour mobility reforms: are they supported by evidence?
- Samoa's 2026 labour mobility reforms: are they supported by evidence?
- Samoa's 2026 labour mobility reforms: are they supported by evidence?
- Announced, not funded
Violence against children
In 2025, 82% of children aged 1–14 faced violent discipline at home in the month before the survey, and 12% faced severe physical punishment 12. Seventy-five percent of mothers or caregivers said physical punishment is needed to raise or educate children 3.
Government: Its September 2026 UN report says the bill is being revised by the Attorney General's office and will be enacted shortly 4. Lalaga le Vā, launched in September 2026, brings ministries and communities together to tackle drugs and violence early 5. No budget figure for Lalaga le Vā was found.
Sources (5)
- Samoa DHS-MICS 2025 Snapshot of Key Findings
- Samoa DHS-MICS 2025 Snapshot of Key Findings
- Samoa DHS-MICS 2025 Snapshot of Key Findings
- National report submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 16/21: Samoa (A/HRC/WG.6/53/WSM/1, advance version)
- New multi-ministry programme launched
- Announced, not funded
Methamphetamine and other drugs
In December 2025 the Prime Minister said about 1,200 people are affected by methamphetamine use 1. A UN drugs office study cited in April 2026 found 15% of teenagers and 12% of people aged 15–24 had tried drugs 2.
Government: Police reported 20 drug raids and 55 people charged between 29 January and 26 May 2026 34. Lalaga le Vā is run through PACT Samoa, the national taskforce on drugs and violence 5. Japan gave more than SAT$2.5 million for drug prevention and response among children and adolescents 6. No budget line for drug treatment or rehabilitation was found in the 2026/27 budget address.
Sources (6)
- PM announces ministry name change, and new aircraft plans
- $2.5M to help children impacted by drugs
- 20 raids, 55 charged
- 20 raids, 55 charged
- New multi-ministry programme launched
- $2.5M to help children impacted by drugs
- Announced, not funded
Water supply and drought
In 2023, only 62.2% of households in Rest of Upolu had water services, against over 90% in other regions 1. In 2025, only 57% of households met the full standard for safely managed drinking water 2.
Government: The same 2025 survey says 99.7% use basic drinking water, a wider measure than safely managed water 3. The FAST 2025 manifesto tagged SAT$50 million each for the power corporation and the Samoa Water Authority 4. In August 2026 forecasters gave a 60–70% chance of below-normal rainfall 5.
Sources (5)
- Samoa Monetary Poverty Assessment 2023
- Samoa DHS-MICS 2025 Snapshot of Key Findings
- Samoa DHS-MICS 2025 Snapshot of Key Findings
- FAST Manifesto Promises Tax Cuts and Support to Industry
- Update ElNino #2
- Announced, not funded
Rising seas and climate shocks
Sea level is rising by 5.2 mm a year 1.
Government: The FAST 2025 manifesto proposed a SAT$1.5 billion carbon credit scheme with international brokers 2. No source found shows any carbon credit income. On 13 October 2026 the Finance Minister asked the Asian Development Bank to support a response plan for climate change, drought and El Niño 3. No coastal relocation policy was found.
Sources (3)
- State of the Environment Report 2023
- More promises, FAST and its manifesto
- Samoa requests the Asian Development Bank's support of its Response Plan
- Funded policy
Low wages
The legal minimum wage was SAT$4.84 an hour until July 2026 1. In 2022, paid employees earned on average SAT$1,620 a month before tax 2.
Government: Cabinet approved SAT$5.24 an hour from July 2026 1. The rate is set to reach SAT$5.65 in July 2027 and SAT$6.05 by July 2028, which meets the manifesto's SAT$6 target only in 2028 34. The path continues rises made under the previous government's plan: SAT$3 to SAT$4 in July 2024 and SAT$4.84 in July 2025 5.
Sources (5)
- Minimum wage increases by 40 cents
- 2022 Samoa Labour Force and Child Labour Survey Report
- Minimum wage increases by 40 cents
- Minimum wage increases by 40 cents
- Minimum wage increases by 40 cents
- Funded policy
Diabetes and kidney failure
The kidney foundation reported 210 people on dialysis from July 2023 to February 2024, with an average patient age of 30 12.
Government: The 2025/26 budget gave the foundation SAT$12,000,000 and an NCD clinic SAT$200,000 3. This money pays for treatment. The FAST 2025 manifesto spoke of healthy living and eating habits to fight NCDs among young people 4, but no costed prevention plan from this government was found.
Sources (4)
- Health issues wake-up call as 7 year old is the youngest Dialysis Victim
- Health issues wake-up call as 7 year old is the youngest Dialysis Victim
- Budget Address 2025/2026: Together we rise, guided by the past, to strengthen the present, and secure the future through this People’s Budget
- FAST Party Manifesto Centres on the Family Unit
- Funded policy
Medicine shortages and health costs
The Health Minister said in July 2026 that 104 medicines had become scarce in the government's first nine months, and nine were still scarce 1. One father said prescriptions that cost SAT$5 at the hospital pharmacy now cost more than SAT$200 at private pharmacies 2.
Government: On 20 July 2026 the Health Minister said the SAT$183 million health budget was not enough for future medicine orders 3. The minister blames the previous government's unpaid supplier debts 4. In June 2026 local media reported a SAT$12 million backlog in unpaid supplier bills 5. FAST promised free hospital services in 2025 6. The government's September 2026 UN report says only children under 15, people with disabilities and pensioners get free healthcare 7.
Sources (7)
- Samoa health system grapples with medicine supply
- Samoa health system grapples with medicine supply
- Health Minister: Budget not enough for future medicine orders
- Samoa health system grapples with medicine supply
- Samoa's main hospital rationing medicine amid critical shortage
- More promises, FAST and its manifesto
- National report submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 16/21: Samoa (A/HRC/WG.6/53/WSM/1, advance version)
- Funded policy
Violence against women
The 2018 national inquiry put the cost of family violence at SAT$98 million to SAT$132 million a year, 6–7% of GDP 1.
Government: The 2025/26 budget gave SAT$100,000 to an Ending Violence programme for NGOs and SAT$200,000 to the Samoa Victim Support Group 2. In March 2026 PMN reported the government had pledged SAT$1 million to the group 3; no source found shows it was paid. No family-violence pledge was found in reports of the FAST 2025 manifesto.
Sources (3)
- Report on the National Public Inquiry into Family Violence in Samoa
- Budget Address 2025/2026: Together we rise, guided by the past, to strengthen the present, and secure the future through this People’s Budget
- Sāmoa MPs clash over use of district funds for victim support group
- Funded policy
Housing and crowded homes
No national count of overcrowded or homeless households was found.
Government: A SAT$6 million housing loan scheme in 2025/26 helped 97 families, and the government says it fulfils a manifesto commitment 1. Of these, 54 families built or bought a first home and 43 large families renovated or extended 2. The shelter programme existed before; the 2025/26 budget doubled it from SAT$500,000 to SAT$1 million 3.
Sources (3)
- Government Renews $6M Housing Support for First Homeowners
- Government Renews $6M Housing Support for First Homeowners
- Budget Address 2025/2026: Together we rise, guided by the past, to strengthen the present, and secure the future through this People’s Budget
- Funded policy
Support for people with disabilities
Loto Taumafai School, which serves more than 100 children with physical disabilities, had not opened in early 2026 for lack of funding 1.
Government: From November 2025 the disability benefit rose to SAT$300 a month 2. Loto Taumafai staff had been unpaid since October 2025, after Australian aid for inclusive education ended 34. The FAST 2025 manifesto promised a new school for children with disabilities 5; no sign of it was found.
Sources (5)
- Government steps in to support Loto Taumafai school
- Budget Address 2025/2026: Together we rise, guided by the past, to strengthen the present, and secure the future through this People’s Budget
- Government steps in to support Loto Taumafai school
- Government steps in to support Loto Taumafai school
- More promises, FAST and its manifesto