Leausa Toleafoa Dr. Take Naseri

Leausa Toleafoa Dr. Take Naseri is the Director General of Health/ Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Health SAMOA. The Ministry of Health functions are in the areas of regulation of Samoa's sector, policy development, setting strategic direction and, sector priorities for development thought sector planning, coordination as well as monitoring health sector to ensure safe practice, safe service as well as quality of health services and health care products. The Ministry is also Samoa's representative in internationals and Regional meetings in the area of health policy.

Dr. Naseri holds a Masters in Public Health from the University of Queensland, Australia and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Papua New Guinea. He started his education in Samoa before furthering his studies in New Zealand and Fiji.

Dr. Naseri has served in the Medical Profession for over 20 years in Samoa, American Samoa and in New Zealand in the areas of Anaesthesia & ICU, Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases and Population health. In 2010 he was appointed in the Ministry of Health Samoa as the Consultant Specialist Physician Public Health & ACEO NDS & IHR Division until his elevation to the DG/CEO MOH. He was instrumental in establishing and developing Samoa's National Disease Surveillance (NDS) and International health (IHR) Division within the Ministry in 2012. His population health background & distinguished clinical experience with his visionary approach lead to Samoa's contextualisation of the WHO NCD PEN to become PEN FaaSAMOA. This was recognized with an award for "Best Proposal" at the Pacific Health Ministers Meetings' 20th Anniversary Yanuca in Fiji 2014. He is a registered practicing physician.

He is a matai and deacon of the EFKS church.