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Healthcare corp. chairman now favors separating Public Health
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Posted on Mar 27 2012
By Moneth Deposa
Reporter
Reporter
Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board chair Jack Torres has apparently had a change of heart and now supports separating the Division of Public Health from the corporation, citing the corporation’s poor financial standing
He believes the corporation is currently incapable of coming up with the local funds needed for the matching requirement of some federal health programs being run by the division.
“Initially, I was for keeping the Division of Public Health [under the corporation], but with all the financial difficulties we’re experiencing at the corporation, I am willing to separate the two functions so each can function effectively according to their goals,” Torres said.
He cited some programs at the Community Guidance Center as examples of federally funded health programs that need local matching funds.
“We have programs at CGC that require 20 percent local matching and 80 percent federal funds. Because of our limited resources, this may not be sustainable,” he told Saipan Tribune.
Although he believes in the missions and objectives of individual programs under CGC, he said the redundancy and duplication of functions and programs will only result in a waste of funds.
Despite the numerous posters and campaign materials for some programs, Torres is also not convinced of their effectiveness, for example, to combat diabetes. He also cited the growing number of employees under the division.
“That’s my position on this issue, and I think more board members are getting convinced to let it go also. I know the purpose of Public Health is pretty noble, but the problem here is the funding and if we’re really doing what we supposed to do,” he said.
