Senate resolution to renovate and rehabilitate existing hospital passes

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Senate members who attended the Senate’s Hospital/Public Health Committee hearing yesterday morning on the Senate Resolution which recommends that Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga adopt the US Army Corps of Engineers recommendation to renovate and rehabilitate the existing LBJ Tropical Medical Center, were repeatedly reminded to focus on the purpose of the hearing which was to pass the resolution.

Even committee chairman Senator Tuiasina Dr. Salamo Laumoli was advised by Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean to direct his comments towards getting the resolution passed instead of questioning the logistics.

The morning’s events however began with Senator Tuiasina announcing that there won’t be any hearing as the matter had been unanimously approved by the Senate, and the only thing to do was to pass it in the chamber’s session.

However, Vice President Magalei Logovi’i pointed out the hearing must convene as the LBJ management who had been subpoenaed were present.

They included newly selected LBJ CEO Dr. Akapusi Ledua, LBJ Board Chairman Dr. Malouamaua Tuiolosega, Chief Financial Officer Sefanaia Kaumaitotoya, Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. James Sunia, Human Resources Director Dr. Rowena Reid, and Executive Officer to the Board, Dr. Jean Anderson.

Chairman of the LBJ Board Dr. Malouamaua began by reiterating the committee’s stance saying that all the services offered by the proposed new “Mini LBJ” are currently being carried out at the hospital and the licenses required are currently held by the LBJ Hospital and that it would take at least two years for the new hospital to get officially licensed.

Senator Tuiasina intervened by bringing up various issues including the shortage of nurses, equipment and the latest in the appointment of the CEO.

Dr. Malouamaua commented on the issue of the shortage of nurses saying that the long term goal is for our local nurses to fill these vacancies, but the solution for the problem at hand was to hire nurses from off-island, namely Fiji, Philippines and Thailand.

Senate Vice President Magalei Logovi’i expressed his displeasure at the negative publicity on LBJ, Department of Health and especially the government and people of American Samoa caused by statements made by suspended LBJ Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Shumway splashed on social media alleging that the recent measles outbreak was fake and was an effort to obtain federal funding.

“This does not sit well with me,” said Senator Magalei. “Because basically what he is saying is that American Samoa Government tried to obtain federal funds by fraudulent means.”

However, one of the senators stated that he had wanted a discussion on that matter done towards the end of the hearing because there were important issues pertinent to the resolution they were trying to pass that must be dealt with first.

Magalei replied that the matter he was raising was equally if not more important because allegations of fraud by the American Samoa Government has been spread all over social media.

It was then that Senate President Tuaolo intervened saying that the hearing had strayed from the subject matter which was to pass the resolution.

He advised that the matter regarding Dr. Shumway’s statements should be discussed in detail in another hearing to be scheduled in the near future.

Senator Tuiasina voiced his support and requested Senator Soliai T. Fuimaono to thank the LBJ officials for attending the hearing.

In the Senate session that followed, Senator Togiola T.A. Tulafono advised that the resolution was a very important issue because the lives of the public are at stake. (See elsewhere in today’s issue for Togiola’s full remarks.)

He reasoned that anything the government proposes to do to improve health services must be a good thing, so the Senate should take time to think things through before making any rash decisions.

The Sua senator in an emotional speech expressed his concerns that future generations would see his name included in a sitting legislature of the Fono that did not support an important initiative like this.

The resolution was then passed by a show of hands — Togiola did not raise his hand.