From the ASCC Gubernatorial Forum, health care was one of the topics on the list of questions for the candidates. With a shortage of healthcare professionals and outdated facilities affecting the quality of care in American Samoa, what solutions do you have to improve access to healthcare, modernize the hospital and address health disparities in the territory?
Candidate for Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula said healthcare was a very important issue in their campaign, and it’s their belief that our people should have affordable and quality health care.
He said the challenges that exist today in the territory’s health care system have built up over many years, and the administration needs to take a good look and focus on how to improve health services.
He pointed out that if Medicaid makes available $106 million for American Samoa, but only $6 million is allocated in the approved budget, more than $90 million would be returned unused because the local match is not enough.
He also said that, in the past, public health used to have nurses visit homes to check on patients and also cleanliness in the villages. He suggested that DOH should revive these visitations.
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Pula’s running mate Pulu Ae Ae Jr. added that the LBJ hospital needs US specialists, as currently most of the doctors are from Fiji and are not US certified. He added that there’s no use building a new hospital, if there are not enough doctors with US credentials.
Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga said the administration has made efforts to acquire medical medical personnel, and referred to the nursing program at the college, and telemedicine opportunities facilitated by the Medicaid program, not only for LBJ but the Department of Health.
He, too, pointed out that most of the doctors at LBJ are not US certified, and this is one of the challenges that the hospital is facing with medical personnel.
The Governor explained that the new hospital will cater for patients that cannot be treated at LBJ Hospital, and this includes the wider population as well as veterans. He said so many patients are being sent off island for medical treatment that can not be performed here and this is a very costly exercise. He said the LBJ Hospital is certified by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, but it is not certified by the Veterans Administration. The new hospital, he said, will be staffed by only US certified specialists.
Regarding the local match for Medicaid Lemanu said for Fiscal Year 2025 Medicaid funding for American Samoa is around $96 million, and the local match needed to be able to use the whole funding is $25 million. He said unless we pass another tax we cannot collect that amount.
The Governor assured that the administration is not neglecting or forgetting LBJ Hospital. “We are improving the LBJ Hospital while at the same time building a new hospital.”
Candidate for Governor Vaitautolu Talia Faafetai said the key priorities for the territory are education, public safety and health care. He said the money being spent on the new hospital should be going to building up the infrastructure at LBJ Hospital.
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Vaitautolu said the LBJ Hospital is underfunded, and this is why there’s a shortage of doctors and nurses. He also commented that for four years, the management of the hospital has not been stable. “Up to last month there’s been chaos in the management, and we really don’t know who’s running the hospital,” he said.
He believes the administration should have stepped in and taken charge.
Regarding Medicaid funding, Vaitautolu said money is available for the local match, “But we need to set our priorities right.”
