EMS remains without a budget — going on now for 5 months

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — To date the Director of the Search and Rescue, Faamasino Upuese Galoia remains mum on the predicament faced by the Emergency Medical Services that is still operating without a budget.

Earlier this month EMS Chief, Galumalemana Popo Avegalio spoke to Samoa News about the issues faced by EMS due to the lack of necessary “supplies” that have not been replenished and the fact that there is no funding for fuel for the Emergency vehicles.

Samoa News followed up with Galumalemana last week, and he said, “nothing has changed, we’re still waiting.”

He told Samoa News earlier this month they have not received their budget allowance for the last five months for the supplies, which are critical to their operation.

 “We are in a limbo because we don’t have a budget. We don’t have medical supplies, pharmaceutical supplies; medical gases such as oxygen and fuel, which is critical to our line of work.

 “We are rationing our supplies now and its evident from the Fono leaders that our budget had since been transferred back to the LBJ hospital and we are still waiting,” said the EMS Chief.

Emails to the LBJ Chief Executive Officer sent this month on the issue faced by the EMS were not answered.

As reported earlier, CEO Moefaauo Bill Emmsley said until the Governor’s Executive Order is rescinded the hospital cannot do anything about the EMS situation.

Moefa’auo told Samoa News the EMS personnel salaries are being paid under the hospital budget up to December 2022, which amounts to half a million dollars for the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

“We understand the EMS performs a vital service, but the hospital cannot help them and that is just the way it is,” he said.

And, Moefaauo said when the EMS was transferred to the Search and Rescue Agency via the Governor’s Executive order, the transfer was only of personnel and assets, not funding.

In his interview with Samoa News at the beginning of this month, Moefa’auo said the EMS budget is just that — a budget, not “real money” (hard cash).

According to Moefa’auo, Government Departments don’t have money in the bank and when they need something they have to go through the Treasury to get the money, whereas the hospital goes directly to the bank for their money.

In the case of the EMS budget, the LBJ CEO says “…when the Fono said the budget for EMS has been returned to the hospital, there is no money.” Currently, the EMS salaries are being paid by LBJ because they “felt sorry for the EMS and carried on paying their salaries up until December 31, 2022.”

In September, the Fono approved the $693.41 million budget for the new fiscal year.

The original budget submitted by the Government designated several divisions of the Department of Public Safety as  agencies, including the Tafuna Correctional Facility, Marine Patrol and the Fire Division.

In addition, the Emergency Medical Services were transferred to the newly established Search and Rescue Agency.

However changes made by the Senate and House of Representatives include transferring back the TCF, Marine Patrol and the Fire Division to the Department of Public Safety and the EMS back to the hospital.

This past week the Senate approved a bill legalizing the department of Search and Rescue, which includes the EMS.

The shake up at EMS services began earlier this year with closing down of the old EMS building across from the hospital, which is now under the control of LBJ.

The EMS is temporarily occupying a section of the Department of Health’s quarters in Faga’alu for the time being.