Professor Dr. Satupa’itea Viali – The helper, the gifted doctor

The truth is simple enough. As far as the medical field goes, we know Professor Dr. Satupa’itea Viali is gifted.

We also know that he needs very little introduction to the people of this country, especially the thousands of people he has helped throughout his illustrious career. That includes more than 20,000 children he has screened for rheumatic heart diseases and rheumatic fever over the years.

But there is more to Professor Viali, which is why the Samoa Observer has chosen him as our Person of the Year for 2014.

You see, on top of helping thousands of Samoans, he gives away about $40,000 worth of free consultation to members of the public every year. These are people who would otherwise miss out on life saving treatment because they would not have been able to afford Professor Viali’s services.

Despite his busy schedule, he is never too busy to provide service at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital where he helps patients. And he doesn't just diagnose them.

When patients are referred overseas for treatment with assistance from the New Zealand government and Papali’i Dr. C.S Benjamin, Professor Viali would quite often go out of his way to help needy families find the necessary funds to ensure they get there.

Where he has not been able to offer help, he uses his networks to find help for patients. For example, this year alone, Professor Viali has referred a number of cases of families needing financial assistance to the Samoa Observer.

Through the publication of their stories, these families have been able to obtain help.

Away from his public health commitments, Professor Viali also runs his own medical clinic three days a week. He teaches at several Medical Colleges outside of Samoa, writes textbook chapters, trains young doctors and attends medical conferences all over the world.

He also volunteers his time to help with a number of medical missions, giving out free medical clinics with the latest one being the visit by the Joyce Myer Ministry.

Most importantly to him though, he is a father of two grown children.

So how is it possible to have time to do all of this?

The answer is quite simple, Professor Viali says.

“You have to manage your time well. I have a plan that manages time properly so that things are done,” he says.

Managing his time means that throughout the year, Professor Viali is occupied. He teaches future doctors in Auckland, Otago and Fiji.

When he is in Samoa, he teaches medical students once a week and then for three days he operates a cardio-practice.

“I work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the other three days. I pinpoint the conferences I will attend and block off a week to sit down and write a paper or text book. You see, it is all about planning.”

Professor Viali is a born again Christian. He says God has been the driving force behind his career.

“I’m called to help Samoa. I’m not called to save the rest of the world,” he admits.“If I can help save someone’s life – I have achieved God’s calling. I look after my spiritual life, my kids and wife and look after the people that God has brought my way.”

His calendar for next year is already full.

But one cause that Professor Viali will always find the time for is screening young kids for rheumatic fever.

“At the moment there is a lot of rheumatic fever in the community,” he says.“Unfortunately some of the rheumatic fever have been unrecognised by parents and the health system. Rheumatic fever kills our young people.”

Professor Viali laments the fact that so many people are referred to New Zealand for heart surgeries costing the country millions of tala every year.

He says his long-term vision is for Samoa to be able to conduct its own heart surgeries.

“We now have a new beautiful hospital which is a great vision from the government. Now it is up to the nurses and the medical fraternity to get the qualifications up to standard to deliver health service that our people need.

“If we can perform some of that (heart surgery) here – then we are serving the people well but we have to plan it in the next five to ten years.”.

In the meantime, Professor Viali is hopeful for a reduction in the number of heart patients in Samoa. It’s a tough ask but he is optimistic that it can be done.

“We can turn it around,” says the Professor.

“It requires the whole population to address diabetes, obesity, inactivity, smoking and alcohol consumption.

“There are so many parks, walkways that people can utilise to get healthy. We have people exercising with the Ministry of Health on T.V promoting exercise. We also need to pay attention to what we eat.”

At the age of 50, Professor Viali is not done yet. His goal is to achieve an American Fellowship in Cardiology – Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

The American Fellowship will add to his other specialist qualifications in the study of heart disease/cardiology. He is already a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (F.E.S.C), Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physician (F.R.A.C.P) and the Fellow of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (F.C.S.A.N.Z).

In terms of money and what he could be earning, Professor Viali says he has had to turn away so many offers for him to leave Samoa.

“Yes I could have worked in New Zealand with a big salary of NZ$200,000 which is a massive pay-cut if you compared it to T$23,000 here but when I said I will come back, that is my integrity,” he says.

“When you get called by the Lord to come back and serve, there is no shortage of payment in this country, no shortage of joy from the people.”

He adds: “God gave me a gift that not many have. I make sure it is well developed and utilised.”

Away from his work, Professor Viali enjoys a game of soccer with his Vaimoso team. He is also a guitarist for the Youth of Christ (Y.F.C).

The Professor is the son of Dr. Lei’ataatimu Viali of Saleimoa, Avao and mother Luao Setu Viali of Fogapoa, Iva and Fagali’i.

He is married to Sialei Okesene Viali with two children, Eliana and Zenith. Dr. Viali went to school in Fagamalo Pre- School, Apia Infants, Apia Primary, Leifiifi Intermediate, Samoa College (3rd-6th Form), Timaru Boys High School (NZ, 7th Form on Government Scholarship).

In 1979 to 1982, he went to Samoa College where he was the Captain of the 1stXV Rugby team, captain of the Senior Soccer team and was Head boy in his final year.

After that he attended the Auckland Medical School in 1984 - 1989 graduating with Bachelor of Human Biology (BHB) and Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB).

Professional Background • Dr. Viali worked at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital from 1989-1990;

• House Surgeon and Internship in Palmerston Hospital 1990- 1991;

• Medical Registrar (Basic Trainee) 1992-1993 at Middlemore Hospital, New Zealand; • Senior Medical Registrar ( Advance Trainee) 1994 - 1998 Auckland Hospital and Greenlane Hospital New Zealand;

• Graduated with FRACP (Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physician) 1998;

• Consultant Specialist Physician Middlemore Hospital 1998;

• Consultant Specialist Physician TTM Hospital Samoa 1999;

• Cardiac Fellowship Melbourne Australia 2000;

• International Cardiology Training from 2000-2007 (Tahiti);

• Receive FCSANZ (Fellow of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand) 2004;

• Graduated with Master of Public Health (MPH) from University of New South Wales (UNSW);

Sydney Australia • Received FESC (Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology) in 2013;

• The Professor worked for 10 years in New Zealand, Australia, Rarotonga, Fiji, American Samoa and Samoa.

Awards and nominations • FRACP 1998, FCSANZ 2004, Pasifika Medical Association (New Zealand) Award 2008, and FESC 2013;

• Affiliations – Medical Community Projects;

• World Heart Federation (WHF) Expert Group Member on the Definitions of Rheumatic Heart Disease on echocardiography;

• Dean and Professor of Medicine in the Oceania University of Medicine (OUM) from 2002 to 2008;

• Visiting Professor to the Master of Medicine (MMed) Program in Fiji under the Fiji School of Medicine or College of Medicine Nursing and Health Science under the Fiji National University (FNU);

• Honorar y Senior Lecturer, Auckland University, NZ;

• Honorary Fellow, Otago Medical School, International Health, NZ • National University of Samoa (NUS) Council Member;

• Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS) Board Member • International Board of the Youth for Christ in Denver, USA;

• Chairman of the local YFC Board from 1996-2011 and a strong supporter of SVSG.