AMERICAN SAMOA – Medical sector workers in American Samoa says there is an urgent life and death situation with the hospital relying on a single paediatrician.

Two doctors from the Department of Health have been sent to help out at the Pediatric Department of the LBJ Hospital, after the sudden death of long serving paediatrician, Dr Tagilima Iatala, last week. A replacement is due on island next week.

The chief medical officer at the LBJ, Iotamo Salepaga, said the two public health doctors would mean they could manage until then. But some medical staff said the situation was more serious than what the LBJ management is making it out to be.

They pointed out that the work load for the remaining pediatrician was too much and had been for a long time.

They said some inpatients had conditions where the pediatricians had to keep an almost 24-hour watch because of seizures and other complications. The medical staffers said this was an urgent life-and-death situation and the leaders needed to come and see for themselves and not take the management’s word for it.

MP urges less divisiveness

TONGA – A Tongan MP, dumped earlier this week from cabinet, wants the country’s parliament to take a less adversarial approach to governing.

Dr ‘Aisake Eke was removed earlier this week from his Finance Minister’s post after he abstained in a no confidence vote against Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

The vote was defeated but Dr Eke was sacked from his post.

He said he had no grudges about his removal and expected it.

But he said he wanted the Tonga legislature to learn to work together and this was something he would be aiming to achieve if he remains in politics.

He said the adversarial approach does not work for Tonga.

“The political agenda they use is a very divisive one. To segregate the Nobles from the People’s Representatives, to me, is not a healthy one,” he said.

“It is not one that is appropriate for Tonga, socially and economically and politically. So we have to get the unity and move forward. This is the only way you could make a stronger Tonga.”

Tears at haircut ceremony

TONGA – The only daughter of late Lord ‘Ahome‘e and Lady Tangikina, Lavinia Veiongo ‘Ahome‘e, was tearful and emotional as Princess Pilolevu cut her hair to honour the recent passing of Tonga’s Queen Mother.

The late Lord ‘Ahome‘e was a nephew of the Queen Mother. Princess Pilolevu also cut the hair of other members of her maternal family to honour the royal matriarch.

The traditional ceremonial haircut for females who have a subordinate blood relationship to the deceased was also performed on female subordinates from the Queen Mother’s Blake and Tangulu families at the royal Matahiva residence.

The ceremony was followed with the presentation of Tongan handicrafts and gifts.