Lying listless on the floor of his family's fale, little Malo can barely keep his eyes open as his young body battles measles.

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With a rash and high fever, his mum sits beside his mat as he sleeps, feeling helpless.

With no way of getting to the hospital - public transport has halted during the government shutdown and other vehicles are prohibited from driving on the roads - the family has been left with no option but to sit and wait for help to come.

It takes three bus rides to get to the nearest hospital in Apia and it's a 20-minute drive to reach any phone reception.

Nurses assess a young girl with measles before taking her to hospital. Source: 1 NEWS

Desperate for help, the family obeyed government orders to place a red flag outside their home, waiting for help to come.

Malo and his cousin have been battling measles for a week and two of his siblings are still recovering from the illness.

In a neighbouring home is another family with a child battling the highly infectious disease. This little girl had been to hospital and was discharged after she made headway in her recovery.

But just days after coming home, a rash appeared and her fever returned. Despite her mum's best attempts, she refuses to eat and to drink.

After weeks of suffering and waiting all day yesterday for help to arrive, a team of volunteers mobilised in the area to vaccinate locals pulls up outside the families' homes.

Nurses take another sick boy to hospital with measles. Source: 1 NEWS

Two nurses assess the two small children and a decision is made to call the ambulance to take both to the hospital.

Read more here Another baby dies as Samoa measles death toll climbs to 63