Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Testimony by LBJ Medical Cemter officials during a House Health committee hearing this week concerns many faipule. LBJ issues include the ongoing problem of shortage of nurses and that LBJ is not ready to deal with COVID-19 cases.

LBJ Hospital CEO Faumuina John Faumuina’s testimony before the House Health Committee this week stated that it was difficult for the nurses to travel here due to the pandemic, plus some had changed their minds and didn’t want to work in American Samoa.

When asked by Rep. Avagafono Vaimaga Maiava about Faumuina’s testimony before the committee last year where he mentioned the plans to hire 20 nurses from the Philippines, Faumuina said that they were now trying to work out another arrangement to recruit more nurses. He didn’t say whether the new arrangement was still with nurses from the Philippines or another source. The CEO said the shortage of local nurses is very serious and LBJ needs a quick solution.

Avagafono advised Faumuina to work together with the hospital board of directors to get help to address the nursing shortage. He said nurses, doctors and other frontliners are getting overwhelmed because there’s a shortage of medical personnel. And with the COVID pandemic the situation will get even worse.

Faumuina was urged to help support the nursing program at the American Samoa Community College instead of depending on nurses from the Philippines and other countries.

Fofo Representative Andra Samoa questioned the Chair of the Board of the LBJ Hospital Authority, Dr Malotumau Tuiolesega if LBJ is ready to deal with any COVID-19 case. Dr. Tuiolesega said the hospital is not ready to deal with a COVID-19 case.

He said an initial inspection in March showed that there were no special masks for medical personnel called re-breathers. The board chairman went on to report that there are enough ventilators but the question is, “are the doctors and nurses trained in using them. The answer is no.” He said it’s an emergency need and he as chair is making it a priority to get the hospital and medical personnel ready to treat a COVID case.

The hearing also covered the CT scan, which has been down for several months. Dr Tuiolesega reported that the CT itself has been repaired however, the images are not clear because of a problem with a tube in the machine. He said the LBJ CEO is trying to source one from Guam however if none can be found a new one has to be sourced from other countries.

The CT Scan is now 8 years old, but equipment such as this should be upgraded or replaced after five years. To avoid a repeat of the current situation where the hospital has been without a CT Scan for an extended period, Dr. Tuiolesega recommended it’s best is to buy a new one.

Faumuina informed the committee that they are in the process of buying a new CT scan. He also reported that the hospital is acquiring a new MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine, which costs $2 million.