Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A major health clinic in American Samoa was closed last week because doctors couldn't access medical records at the main LBJ Hospital.

The Tafuna Community Health Center did not have access to the electronic medical records system, which doctors and other staff need at their fingertips when seeing patients.

The centre serves the most populated part of Tutuila island.

The Director of Health, Motusa Tuileama Nua, told KHJ News neither the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA) nor BlueSky were responsible for disruption to the link.

KHJ News understands the Department of Health owes a substantial amount of money to BlueSky for part of the link up to the health centre.

This was acknowledged by Motusa who said they were trying to resolve the debt.

He said the Department of Health is also working with the telecommunications authority on a dedicated link.

"As you know all government departments have been instructed by the governor to use ASTCA," Motusa said.

The director called for people to be patient as they try to work on a solution.

Motusa said the community health centres at Leone and Amouli remained open.