17 Feb 2012

American Samoa governor due to announce hospital move

5:07 am on 17 February 2012

American Samoa's governor, Togiola Tulafono, will today tell managers what the government is going to do about the struggling LBJ hospital.

Yesterday, the governor met behind closed doors with the Hospital Authority Board, the chief executive officer, Mike Gerstenberger, and the chief financial officer Viola Babcock.

There's speculation the hospital will be placed directly under the Department of Health, and the two top management officials replaced.

Hospital staff have been waiting for news on whether planned layoffs will be stopped and the public wants to know if the fee hikes, brought in last week, will be rolled back.