HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A total of $50 million in funding is headed to the Guam Memorial Hospital, as the acting governor has signed Bill 164 into law.
Public Law 37-43 provides $30 million in emergency funding to the island’s only public hospital, harnessing prior fiscal year excess funds from the General Fund to pay vendors and perform necessary building repairs.
“Prior to the passage of Bill No. 164-37, we committed 20 million additional dollars for urgent capital improvements to (the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority’s) facility from (the) American Rescue Plan Act funds as permitted by the U.S. Treasury’s Final Rule for the ARPA Fiscal Recovery Fund,” acting Gov. Josh Tenorio said in a release on Monday.
The combined funding totals $50 million, which is sorely needed by the hospital, which faces both fiscal and physical challenges in providing quality health care to the island community.
The acting governor thanked Sens. Jesse Lujan and Frank Blas Jr. for their efforts in obtaining the necessary funds.
“Sen. San Agustin’s work guiding this bill through the committee of the whole was critical to the passage of Bill No. 164-37. Our administration looks to continue working closely with members of the Legislature who are willing to rise above personal and political agendas to help the people of Guam in the way the senators who supported Bill No. 164-37 did,” the release said.
Public Law 37-43, however, is just a temporary fix, pointed out Tenorio who said a more in-depth look at GMH’s financial situation is needed.
“This piece of legislation combined with the executive order that I promulgated last week to focus on the fiscal stability of the hospital is going to make a world of difference. Making sure that the hospital will operate the way it needs to for the people of Guam and give us the opportunity to focus on much-needed repairs to this facility,” Tenorio said in a video address.
Days ahead of signing Bill 164-37 into law, the acting governor formed the Fiscal Review Committee to assess and monitor GMHA’s financial policies and processes.
“The committee will then make recommendations to the governor. This will allow the governor to assist GMHA with ensuring its future financial health and monitor the proper expenditure of ARPA funds and legislative appropriations. Allowing GMHA the opportunity to integrate best practices into a broader strategy for financial success will ensure the continuity of services,” Tenorio said.
While the current hospital will receive the funding necessary to bring it into a better operational state, he said the lifespan of the hospital is waning, and a new hospital is needed.
“It will be more cost-effective to construct a new facility rather than repair the current hospital in an attempt to bring it up to modern medical standards. With this in mind, we continue to pursue every means necessary to ensure our people and visitors alike have access to a health care facility that complies with national standards and rivals other health care facilities in the nation,” Tenorio said.
In the video address, the acting governor reaffirmed the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administration’s commitment to securing suitable land for the construction of a new hospital.
“It’s going to best serve all the people and should be in locations that are (the) best accessible to the people of Guam. I look forward to working with partners throughout the island to support Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero’s mission to construct a new hospital,” he said.
Guam Memorial Hospital as seen Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, in Tamuning.
