“If you believe that this concern is valid, please let me know what are the steps we are taking to address them,” Torres told Public Health Secretary Kevin Villagomez in a letter yesterday.
Torres, who chairs the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare, said he wants to know problems at CHC that need to be fixed.
In an interview, he said the health of the community should be taken “seriously.”
Torres, R-Saipan, said while they have a good working relationship with CHC, lawmakers need to be informed about the hospital’s operations and know which direction it is headed.
“I have faith that through our great work, dedication and commitment we can provide better public service to our community,” he told Villagomez.
He asked Villagomez about the following:
• The machines that need to be replaced or those that the hospital needs.
• Total expenditures for fiscal year 2009, excluding the medical referral program.
• Data on the numbers of dialysis patients on island and off-island, including those on Tinian and Rota.
• Number of patient undergoing chemotherapy on a daily basis or shifts.
• The status of the hemodialysis center the construction of which was completed three years ago.
Torres said the need to address those concerns cannot be overstated as they severely affect the government’s ability to provide vital health care service to the community.
“Let us address these issues so that we can restore trust and confidence of our people and their perception toward CHC,” he said.
Based on his recent conversation with Villagomez, Torres said the new nephrologist will arrive on June 1.
A nephrologist is a specialist in kidney diseases, kidney transplants and dialysis therapy.
