Last week Rep Vesi Fautanu Jr sent a letter to Governor Lolo Moliga requesting a Medicaid charter and repatriation flight.
The Manu’a faipule who’s Chairman of the House Health Committee requested the flight to take patients for off island treatment and bring home residents currently stranded off island due to the suspension of flights as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Vesi referred to the success of the first Medicaid charter flight last month, which was able to ferry stranded American residents, college students and military recruits.
“We strongly believe that a second medical charter flight to Hawaii is necessary, while
serving as a repatriation flight for those residents anxiously waiting to return,” he wrote.
serving as a repatriation flight for those residents anxiously waiting to return,” he wrote.
“Due to the rising rate of infection amongst minorities such as Pacific Islanders,
we feel it is vital and urgent that we have a plan to repatriate our residents for
their safety and well being. The longer we leave them stranded in Hawaii and
the US mainland, the more likely they are to contract this virus. “
we feel it is vital and urgent that we have a plan to repatriate our residents for
their safety and well being. The longer we leave them stranded in Hawaii and
the US mainland, the more likely they are to contract this virus. “
The Committee chairman pointed out that there’s been ample time to prepare and build medical facilities, and appropriate quarantine procedures can be implemented to
ensure the safety of the territory.
ensure the safety of the territory.
However the Coronavirus Task Force denied the request.
According to Task Force Chairman Iulogologo Joseph Pereira, “there is no thought of conducting another Medicaid charter flight to address the above stated purposes.”
He said in his response to Rep Fautanu, “As you are well aware the situation in Hawaii and the States is highly volatile with the exponential spike in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases thus the governor is hesitant to expose our people here to harm’s way by repatriating our people stranded in the US.”
Iulogologo also stated that American Samoa does not have sufficient quarantine facilities to isolate people returning home. He said that the government has
“collectively worked very hand and sacrificed much” to keep our islands coronavirus free.
“collectively worked very hand and sacrificed much” to keep our islands coronavirus free.
“You have also recognized the higher incidents of Pacific Islanders’ vulnerability to the virus because many of our people suffer from underlying and pre-existing conditions. We share your passion and sensitivity to the emotional toll being brought to bear on our people stranded outside however, the safety of the bulk of our population living on island outweighs our compassion for our people stranded outside.”
