Residents of Manu’a are calling on the government to improve health services for the island group, particularly regarding morgue services, which are located at the Ta’u clinic. The morgue has recently suffered some major problems, including the failure of the air conditioning unit in the morgue — which has since been repaired.

Ta’u resident Talu Mapu said the morgue in Ta’u is a big issue that must be addressed because it lacks someone who has expertise in overseeing the facility. Mapu also voiced concerns over the bodies of loved ones put in the morgue while awaiting funeral services or transport to Tutuila.

“There must be improvements to the morgue which ensure that the freezer is working at all times, in the event there is a death and the body needs to be placed in the morgue before burial,” Mapu said via phone from Manu’a on Sunday.

The morgue is again operational, but “for how long?” he asked.

He also suggested that the government relocate the morgue to a new facility with easy access to the public, as well as moving it closer to the airport or wharf. (The Ta’u island wharf is located at Faleasao village, while the airport is at Fitiuta village.)

Mapu and another Ta’u resident, who was also reached by phone, say that all efforts must be made now to make sure there is no repeat of an incident which occurred last month, when the freezer and air conditioning system at the morgue were down.  The morgue's failure made it necessary to have a body transported to Tutuila via the DPS Patrol boat, because the MV Sili was down for repairs, while Inter Island Airways was down due to mechanical problems.

On behalf of their families and other residents of Ta’u, the pair urged the government to do all possible to fix problems with the morgue in Manu’a while at the same time, look at other areas of improvement when it comes to health care.

Health director Motusa Tuileama Nua concurred that there are some challenges faced by DoH in serving the Manu’a island group and among them is making sure there is someone with expertise assigned to the morgue.

Motusa says the department is working to improve services, including making sure that the morgue does not face the same problem as before. He noted that it is a big challenge to recruit someone to oversee the morgue there.

Police Commissioner William Haleck had told Samoa News that DoH must do all possible to keep the morgue operational at all times. He says that DPS cannot continue to dispatch the patrol boat — which is supposed to be used for ‘search and rescue’ — to transport human remains to Tutuila.

(Original Samoan story was published in yesterday’s edition of Le Lali)