Rota hemodialysis project secures $1.5M

The Rota delegation has secured $1.5 million for the long-awaited construction of a hemodialysis center on the island.

Rota senator Paul Manglona said the funding level “is workable.”

“Otherwise, we can always reprogram. But I think we can start it now,” said Manglona.

He said the Rota mayor’s office would be the lead agency in carrying out the project.

“The plan is that the mayor’s office will put out a request for proposal,” he said.

Rota earlier tried to look for a total of $2 million for the project. “$1.5 million would be enough for now,” said the senator.

This developed as Tinian, which has secured funding for its own hemodialysis project ahead of Rota, earlier agreed to sole-source the project, amounting to $1.7 million.

Delegation chair and Senate President Joaquin Adriano has said that the project would be handled by Health Professional Corp., which does business as Saipan Health Clinic.

Adriano expressed confidence that the sole sourcing of the contract would be approved, given the urgent need for the facility.

“For the last 10 years, [patients] have been dying out here on Saipan, not having the chance to make it back to Tinian. We need our own facility there to attend to our patients,” he said.

He said that based on initial discussions, SHC would complete the facility no less than eight months and no more than 11 months.

He said the proposed facility includes three stations for treatment of dialysis patients.

The project would require the approval of the Office of the Insular Affairs since part of the money comes from 702 funds.

Adriano said the delegation would push for a build-operate-transfer scheme.

Meantime, Manglona said that the much-delayed Rota Health Clinic project would finally be out for bidding.

The project, which has been delayed for over eight years now, amounts to some $4 million.

“It’s already been delayed too long. Two contractors have handled it but it’s never been finished. This must be done now because we’re already putting our patients out in the hallways. It’s public health risk,” Manglona said.

Sandra C. Manglona, Rota’s public health resident director, earlier said that hallways, patient waiting areas, and adjacent emergency room areas are being covered with curtains to accommodate patients.