Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — LBJ hospital Administration has its own plan for LBJ and it definitely has nothing to do with entertaining the idea of a new hospital.

When asked about the status of LBJ concerning improving its facilities, LBJ CEO Dr. Akapusi Ledua said, “We have a plan for LBJ, but the new hospital — we are not for that idea.”

Coming up on December 20, 2023 would be the ground breaking day, according to Dr. Ledua, when he spoke about the project already at hand for LBJ hospital.

“That is a new Emergency Room ER and a new Intensive Care Unit ICU.

“Construction workers will be present at certain areas of the hospital in two weeks time, to clear out existing old structures that are in the way.

 “We are going to start demolishing next month between the Emergency Room and the Pediatric ward, ” the CEO said.

The COVID Ward will come down, as that is the location for the new two-story building, with the Emergency Room downstairs, and ICU at the upper level, according to Dr Ledua.

It will be a “State of the Art ER and ICU,” he told Samoa News on Monday.

The existing Emergency Room will then be converted to an urgent care clinic. Dr Ledua promised it would be like a family medicine clinic setup in the U.S.

There will also be a new CT scan and MRI installation in addition to the existing ones.

“However, that is all part of that project and as well as American Samoa is going to have a MRI from the US, and the first of its kind in this entire region, apart from Australia, NZ and Fiji.”

 A copy of a confidential report on this project has reached the House Health Committee and it was reported on local media three months ago, that the designer is GLHN Architects & Engineers Inc, from Phoenix, Arizona.

It is being funded with LBJ's $100 million share from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), with $60 million allocated for the facilities and $40 million earmarked for staff development and training.

The hospital officials said they are looking for other funding sources as the $100 million is not enough for the planned projects.

According to LBJ Board Chairman Dr. Malouamaua Tuiolosega, the Helmsley Trust has agreed to provide financial assistance and they are working on a package.

Samoa News understands Helmsley Trust is looking at purchasing the MRI machine for LBJ/  American Samoa and further assistance is possibly in the works.

Dr. Ledua told Samoa News yesterday, demolition starts in two weeks time to make way for the new ER and ICU building whereas  “by 2026 it should be done.”

The new building will be two-stories, with the ground floor to house the ER which will be expanded from 16 beds to 26 beds; and, the Intensive Care Unit on the top floor will have 16 beds, up from the present 7.