Ta’u Dispensary project delayed but Segaula and DOH continue to serve Manu’a residents

Right: DOH nurse practitioner Tele Frost-Hill has, for the first time ever, made prenatal services available to pregnant mothers who reside in the Manu'a Islands. Left: DOH pediatrician Dr. Saipale Fuimaono is one of the few DOH physicians who frequently travels to the Manu'a Islands to offer free medical services for the residents there.

July 16, 2007 - Pregnant women who live in the Manu’a Islands no longer have to pay over $100 for travel just to keep up with their prenatal appointments as the service is now available to them.

Expectant mothers generally start off with monthly visits that eventually become bi-weekly, then weekly, as they near their due date.

Add all the appointments together and multiply that by the cost of a round trip ticket to and from Manu’a, and that gives you an idea of what being pregnant in Manu’a will cost.

But thanks to approval from Department of Health director Utoofili Asofaafetai Maga, and the dedication of DOH nurse practitioner Tele Frost-Hill, pregnant women in Manu’a can now be examined and receive prenatal services and consultation in their homeland.

The prenatal clinic offers standard blood tests and all the services required during the first trimester of pregnancy.

“We have introduced the prenatal clinic for the residents of Manu’a because they shouldn’t have to pay hundreds of dollars just to keep an appointment that often times only lasts a few minutes,” said Department of Health medical director Dr. Ivan Tuliau, who coordinates the DOH trips.

Tuliau explained that not only will financial burdens be eased, but making the prenatal program available in Manu’a benefits pregnant women who are considered high risk cases because of medical conditions like diabetes and anemia.

“The goal is that the prenatal clinics will detect problems that may reveal the need for medical evacuations to the LBJ Medical Center for further review or emergency procedures,” Tuliau explained.
“This is a good way for us to detect problems for both the mother and her unborn child, to ensure early intervention and treatment.”

In addition to the new program, DOH makes frequent trips to the Manu’a Islands, in Ofu and Ta’u, offering free medical and dental services for the residents there.

Medications and prescription refills are also offered free of charge.

“We here at DOH are very happy that we can provide everything from medical and dental services to prenatal clinics and special clinics for individuals with special needs, free of charge to the residents of Manu’a,” Tuliau said. “They should be able to access all the services we enjoy here.”

During their trips, DOH team members see up to 200 patients, mostly children with dental problems, and senior citizens with chronic illnesses.

All DOH trips and emergency medical evacuations are possible with the government owned Segaula aircraft, which is currently being flown by Joseph Misaalefua.