The Lions Club of Pago Pago is scrambling to look for alternative accommodations for a group of eye doctors and nurses scheduled to arrive next month to provide free eye care clinics for residents.
The Club had been assured that the group of about 20 could stay at the airport hangar quarantine facility.
However, as we reported yesterday, the Department of Health served notice that effective Tuesday, June 20, the facility will no longer be available for use by ASG or the private sector.
Deputy Director of Health, Vesi Fautanu Jr., said the facility is to become a temporary home for detainees of the Juvenile Detention Center while the JDC building is rebuilt.
President of the Lions Club, Ponita Laussen, said their club remains hopeful that DOH will reconsider and allow the eye team to stay at the airport hangar facility.
Or in the alternative offer some assistance.
She pointed out that hotel accommodations are pricey at this time, but the Lions Club is optimistic that affordable and appropriate accommodations will be found before the medical team arrives, July 10.
It was planned for the group to have a clinic in Manu’a on July 12 and a clinic on Tutuila on July 14th.
Laussen says, with accommodations now up in the air, she’s not sure if they can stick to their plans for two clinics.
“We hope we’ll still be able to have one clinic at least to accommodate the waiting list at LBJ,” she said.
