The American Samoa Senate has approved 1.7 million US dollars for the LBJ Medical Center but the measure still needs endorsement of the House of Representatives.
According to the measure, 1.2 million dollar goes to purchase necessary medical and diagnostic equipment while 500,000 dollars is earmarked as local matching funds for the fiscal year 2008 Medicaid programme.
Without this additional funding, hospital officials told lawmakers that the hospital would face a shortfall in revenues to meet hospital needs.
The House will discuss the issue next week.
