Claims health report on US-affiliated Pacific unbalanced

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Updated February 20, 2009 12:57:12

The Pacific Island Health Officers Association has called on the United States Department of the Interior to withdraw a report describing health care in the US-affiliated Pacific islands as on the verge of a 'breakdown'. The audit by the Department's Inspector General was issued ahead of the Insular Area Health Leaders summit held last month. It concluded that health care professionals across the US-affiliated islands were facing severe shortages of basic equipment, supplies, medical and support staff and were struggling to do their jobs. However, the Pacific Island Health Officers Association, which unites the executive health officers of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, guam, Northern Marianas and American Samoa, has passed a resolution asking for the report to be recalled. The association's executive director, Michael Epp, says the report was sensationalist and unbalanced:

presenter: Helen Hofman
speakers:The executive director of the Pacific Island Health Officers Association, Michael Epp

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