20 Sep 2012

American Samoa health officials take former Manu'a staffer to task

7:10 pm on 20 September 2012

The American Samoa Department of Health is rotating doctors to Manu'a following the resignation of Dr. Malouamaua Tuiolosega late last month.

The acting Health Director, Elisapeta Ponausuia, testified before the House Health Committee that from this week doctors are being rotated every two weeks to Manu'a.

As for complaints raised by Dr. Tuiolosega about the lack of support from the Department, she says he didn't communicate.

Ms Ponausuia says Dr. Tuiolosega wants to privatise the dispensaries in Manu'a and do the same on Tutuila.

She says the doctor had submitted a memorandum of understanding some time ago detailing his intentions.

That MOU is being reviewed by the Attorney General's Office, but Ms Ponausuia says any move towards privatisation needs to come from the top, not be initiated by an employee.