Samoan minister asks how hospital became animal farm
Apia: Samoa’s Ministry of Health has started investigations into how a disused district hospital in Maasina Village at Fagaloa is now being used as an animal farm.
The Samoa Observer reports the Minister of Health, Valasi Tafito Selesele, addressed the issue in Parliament in response to a request from Vaa-o-Fonoti MP, Mau’u Siaosi Puepuemai, for a new hospital at Fagaloa.
Valasi said when he was on his inspections around government hospitals, he saw the facility was not how he expected it to be.
“When I was on my inspections around government hospitals, I have seen that the facility was filled with grass, and looks like an animal farmhouse because there were cows there,” he told Parliament. “There was literally no patient nor a nurse there which means to be clear, if over $300,000 was spent on establishing this hospital and you are again seeking to open another hospital in your constituency, this is one of the issues we’ve put to those units that investigate these things, to probe into this.
“Because, according to the Tenders Board, it was never on tender.” Despite the investigations, Valasi
has agreed to the request made by the Vaa-o-Fonoti MP for a new hospital in their constituency, although it’s still in progress. He urged the MP to submit a formal letter to his office when a piece of land has been confirmed for the hospital to be built on.
According to Valasi, some members of the constituency were also concerned about the location of the old hospital, asking why it was stationed where it was, making it difficult for some of the residents to get to.
He added that chiefs from the constituency approached him requesting if they can use the current building as a committee house for the constituency given that it’s no longer being used for its original purpose.