Senator Togiola supports Admin decision to build a new hospital as “a good move”

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Exhorting his fellow senators, in an emotional plea, to take their time before they make a decision concerning Senate Resolution 38-16, Senator Togiola T. A. Tulafono, yesterday, in the Senate’s regular session advised that “anytime there’s an important project like a hospital, we need to believe that it’s not bad at all, it’s a good move.” 

The Senate Resolution “recommends to Governor Lemanu P. S. Mauga and the American Samoa Government to follow the recommendations of our local medical expert and allocate the full $300millions of the American Rescue Plan Act ARPA capital investment into the healthcare facilities to LBJ Tropical Medical Center and support their efforts to follow the recommendations of the US Army Corps of Engineers to renovate and modernize the current facility at LBJ instead of building a new hospital.”

Senator Togiola was not present during the Senate hearing of the Hospital and Public Health Committee regarding the resolution.

However, during the Senate’s regular session, he pointed out that  “our hospital is old, and you are all aware of the condition when you visit it.”

The senator agreed with the need to upgrade the hospital, but he asked the Senators, “What if our Resolution would show the Governor that we don’t support the Government’s plan to build a new hospital? That would provide special services only found overseas. It’s not that easy for me.”

He said, “It shows that we don’t believe in such, and why is that we don’t believe the government is bringing in something good?

“It’s true that there are problems, but I’d like to see the reasons behind a recommendation from the Army Corps of Engineers to renovate (instead of building a new hospital).

“Because if the government wants to build a new facility for special services, and put 40 beds in it for a cost of $300 million plus, while the government allocates $200million.

“It is also true there’s a big difference, but the question would be , why don’t we ask the Governor if there’s another avenue to fund the excess cost and we go ahead in doing something good for our country?”

Togiola also said, “We are trying to support the current resolution and I don’t want to be part of a decision that would appear as the Senate refuses to build a new hospital, to service special medical conditions taking up most of our overseas referrals for treatments, such as kidney failures and special surgeries.

“If it happens it would be built and utilizing modern technology to treat our people and if it’s not available then look for it. 

“We can ask the Governor and Lt Governor to meet with us, and we ask them directly, about their plan to make up the cost and to see if they have another way to bring in money.

“We are not talking about local fundings, it’s given money (tupe maua fua) and why are we rejecting it?”

Senator Togiola continued, "if there’s a need for additional funding then there is ARPA money available.

“That means we can meet and  exchange thoughts for a better solution for our country.

“By the time we leave, there’d be much improved facilities to treat our future generations.

“This is why I refuse to support a resolution to stop the Governor and his administration, not to do this.

“It would appear like we don’t want to do good things for them, but to stop it , whatever is there that’s it.

"I fear that the resolution includes me,” he said, referring to the appearance of not wanting to do good things for ‘them’.

Togiola begged the Senate President and the rest of  the Senators in attendance to slow down with a decision.

“If it happens, why rush it? What if we come up with such a resolution, but instead they build it anyway?”

He added that he is only suggesting “if accepted it is good, if not then it's their decision." 

The senator also suggested bringing in the Army Corps of Engineers, to see what reason they have for recommending maintenance work to the current hospital building, instead of building a new hospital.

Togiola said he has seen their report, besides what he read in the Newspaper. But now they have before them a report from the hospital, and there is a need to look at the foundation of their report before a Fono decision is made.

The Senate Resolution was passed by a majority vote.

BACKGROUD

Samoa News points out that the 2019 USA Corps of Engineers Report to Congress addresses the condition of the LBJ Tropical Medical Center. The report presents the cost of renovating and modernizing the current facility, constructing a new facility and whether a renovated facility will have sufficient capacity to meet American Samoa’s needs. 

Three options to rectify the hospital’s poor conditions are outlined:

1. Repair the infrastructure of the current facility with no additional space expansion with an estimated cost of $161.4 million.

2. Construct a new multi-story hospital on the current LBJ campus (150,000 SF) with an estimated cost of $375- $425 million.

3. Construct a new multi-story hospital (370,000 SF) on a proposed site on the western side of the island, with an estimated cost of $700 million.

The government opted for option #3.

However, there has since been strong opposition to the decision. And a Medical Subcommittee was formed by the DoH, which was been given oversight of the new hospital project by the governor earlier this year to move the ‘new hospital’ forward.

Their task was to review the USACE report and make a recommendation based on their knowledge of AS medical infrastructure and the USACE report.

The Medical Subcommittee also offered three options:

Option A: Return the $200 million to LBJ Hospital and follow the recommendations of USACE on improvements. This option provides the maximum healthcare benefits for the ARPA funds. LBJ can build and manage a chronic care/rehabilitative care facility at the current LBJ site for less money and provide better management of its patients if it is located closer to the current hospital. The Medical Subcommittee urged ASG to adopt this recommendation.

Option B: Build a long-term, chronic care/ rehabilitation specialty hospital, but only if Option A is not chosen. This option will allow LBJ and DOH to also make significant upgrades and improvements to their services with the additional funds allotted to them.

Option C: Build a “Mini-LBJ.” This option is not recommended by the Medical Subcommittee. A “Mini-LJB” cannot be built within the allocated budget of $200 million. It will duplicate medical services. It will only serve a small segment of the population of American Samoa. It is inequitable and unfair. The operational costs will be prohibitively expensive. Maintaining such a facility will drain our resources. There is no stable funding source to continue such an operation.