These are just some of the questions University of Otago School of Pharmacy lecturer and researcher Associate Prof Greg Walker hopes to answer when he visits Samoa later this month to present the Science of Medicines — Whakatere Waka exhibition.
Healthcare in Samoa is a blend of Western and traditional Samoan medicine, and while there are several Western hospitals on the islands, the first line of defence for many is Samoan medicine.
So a mobile, hands-on, mini exhibition has been developed by University of Otago preventive and social medicine lecturer and researcher Dr Karyn Maclennan, with assistance from Assoc Prof Walker and staff from Tūhura Otago Museum, to teach school pupils and their local communities about where medicines come from, how they are made, how they work, how to use them safely and what the future holds.
Dr Maclennan said it showcased both Western and non-Western medicines.
"A lot of them come from plants and bark and things.
"Almost everything is found in nature and they might be formulated into an asthma inhaler or they might be formulated into a traditional kind of medicine like a tea, or other things that are done in different cultures.
"So this is not just about Western medicines."
Assoc Prof Walker said the exhibition, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific, aimed to reach as many people as possible, particularly in more remote communities that would otherwise find it difficult to travel to Apia to see the showcase.
The showcase had already toured New Zealand and received an "overwhelmingly positive" response, he said.
"It was really effective, not only at sharing information about the importance of medicines, but also at helping kids to see science as fun, practical, and able to make a huge difference to our lives."
Alongside the Science of Medicines exhibition, Tūhura Otago Museum staff would also tour its Far from Frozen showcase.
Far from Frozen was designed to demystify the science behind climate change and its impacts, by drawing on the intrigue and mystique of Antarctica.
Samoans will be "transported" from their tropical paradise to the icy continent, by trying on the clothing Antarctic scientists wear, while also checking out the tents in which they live and the fieldwork they do on the ice.
Former museum science engagement director Dr Craig Grant developed the science showcase model and headed efforts to share the showcases with Pacific nations.
"We first planned to tour Samoa back in 2019, but the measles epidemic intervened, followed by Covid-19.
"It’s awesome to finally be able to take the showcases there.
"Given all that Samoa has been through with infectious diseases, and, like other Pacific nations, the imminent threats of climate change, we really hope the showcases will make a difference by helping equip them with the confidence and insights to better face such challenges."
The showcases will tour Samoa from March 31 until April 11.
