No new hospital, existing one to be built up

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The Chairman of the House Health Committee Rep. Vesi Fautanu Jr. is optimistic that plans presented by LBJ officials at a committee hearing yesterday on expansion and upgrade of the hospital will come to fruition.

The Manu’a lawmaker said the most pressing need that residents have expressed to him is the need to improve the local hospital, not only in terms of facilities but medical staffing.

So the committee called in LBJ CEO Taufetee John Faumuina, Chief of Procurement Sinasina Joe Langkilde and head of the Maintenance Division Sa Mavaega to explain plans for improving hospital facilities and ensuring that there are qualified medical personnel to provide health care for the territory.

The committee was told that the decision is not to build a new hospital but to do a major upgrade of the existing hospital, which would include building a multi-story facility.

An engineering team will arrive next month to carry out an assessment that would guide plans for the planned construction.

The CEO laid out the general plans of where the wards, clinics and offices will be to make maximum use of the current site at Fagaalu.

According to Rep. Vesi, the timeline for the assessment report to be completed is in July.

Funding will be a challenge said the committee chairman,  but as far as he’s concerned health care is the territory’s most pressing need and it’s incumbent upon government leaders to secure the needed funding for the planned upgrade of the hospital.

At the same time, he said the committee impressed upon LBJ officials the need to have qualified medical personnel and adequate supplies because it’s no use having new and better facilities without the needed manpower and medical supplies.

Rep. Vesi said the hospital is still facing funding setbacks.

The committee heard yesterday that LBJ has not received the ASG subsidy for six months now.

The committee chairman plans to call a hearing with the Treasurer and Budget Director to get an explanation as to why ASG hasn’t paid the subsidies given the government has reported a positive fund balance of close to $4 million.