24 Jan 2018

American Samoa still without a cardiologist

5:41 pm on 24 January 2018

The only hospital in American Samoa remains without a cardiologist.

The LBJ Medical Center said it was expensive for the hospital to recruit a cardiologist and acquire the equipment needed.

Its medical director, Dr Iotamo Saleapaga, told senators it was cheaper for the hospital to send a patient off-island for care.

He said if there was a cardiologist willing to come to American Samoa, it would most likely be a retired physician whose salary would be about $US200,000 a year.

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