7 Aug 2018

Task force overlooked in Samoa healthcare merger

11:58 am on 7 August 2018

The Commission of Inquiry that recommended merging Samoa's Ministry of Health and National Health Service should have heard from a task force about the management structure it proposed for a unified entity, the task force's chair says.

The cover of the commission's report.

The cover of the commission's report. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Autagavai Tipi Autagavai

Last week, the commission set aside the task force's proposal and put forward a structure of its own that included an advisory board and a midwife nurse as one of the directors.

The Minister of Health and task force chai, Tuitama Talalelei Tuitama, said the commission should have called him and other members to explain its proposal.

Cabinet was today expected to consider and make a final decision on the commission's report, which was also referred to the task force last week for consideration, Tuitama said.

The government had the authority to accept or reject commission of inquiry reports and recommendations, he said.