The US government has awarded American Samoa more than 52 thousand US dollars in grant funds to help provide medical care, support services and prescription drugs for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin says the money is to help ensure that AIDS sufferers can get the care and services they need.
Faleomavaega says American Samoa could also apply for a seven million US dollar grant awarded under the minority AIDS programs, and designed to help the poor and uninsured cope with the virus.
He says HIV/AIDS is a global issue that American Samoa is not isolated from, and territorial residents must prepare and educate themselves.
Only two known cases of HIV were diagnosed in American Samoa since the outbreak was first known some 20 years ago, while about 8 other cases were diagnoses off-island.
