CIP funds allocated for hemodialysis center

Gov. Juan N. Babauta has approved the reprogramming of some $5.6 million in federal funds from the $10-million Kagman Wastewater project for the Saipan hemodialysis center project.

Babauta, during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, said that reprogramming must be made to ensure that the crucial hemodialysis project is completed on time.

“I have approved the reprogramming. This matter is now with the Legislature,” he said.

He said a legislative amendment is needed since the reprogramming involves a big amount of CIP funds.

Senate President Joaquin G. Adriano, meantime, said that he will act on the matter first thing today.

“We need to make an amendment. I have no problem with that. We all understand the need for hemodialysis,” he said.

The senator said that what the Legislature has to do is “not to reprogram but to shift funds for another project.”

House Speaker Benigno Fitial, for his part, met with Department of Public Health officials Wednesday to discuss the particular issue.

“The Speaker has always been very concerned. He’ll make sure that this matter is addressed immediately,” said House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes Jr.

Babauta in yesterday’s meeting said that he will ensure that the Kagman funding would be restored as soon as possible.

“I don’t really like reprogramming funds out of the Kagman sewer project. It’s a very important project. But due to the urgency of hemodialysis and some delays with Kagman project, we’re resorting to this. We’d make sure to replenish that with new funds,” he said.

The government said that only $800,000 remains of the funding earmarked for the Hemodialysis Center project.

The Legislature had originally earmarked some $11 million for the project but the contract awarded to AIC Marianas only amounted to over $5 million, prompting lawmakers to re-appropriate the “excess’ funds for other projects.

DPH officials, however, later realized that it would need additional funding for the center’s water system and parking. Authorities said that the project would actually need some $5.6 million to complete.

The hemodialysis center project, which officially began in February 2003, is expected to be completed by next year.

The center is seen to solve overcrowding at the current dialysis center and reduce the number of patients that need to be sent off-island. From 44 patients in 1996, CHC currently attends to nearly 100 dialysis patients.

The new facility can accommodate up to 24 stations. Right now, the CHC has 14 dialysis stations.

Babauta said that construction of the Kagman project will not start until April 2006. The project has been delayed for a number of reasons, including change in design and insufficient funds.

Authorities earlier said that to pursue the project’s original design would require up to $25 million funding, which is currently not available.

The Department of the Interior has agreed to have a value engineering study to see if a wetland type of wastewater treatment is cost-efficient compared with the current design method.

The project, which is 50 percent federally funded, originally cost $10 million. It was later estimated to reach $17 million. Estimates showed that a wetland approach would only cost between $12 to 14 million.

The project covers the entire first and second district of Kagman and a portion of Kagman III.