A matter of life and death

If there ever was a crisis that needs to be addressed, it is the ongoing crisis at the Commonwealth Health Center. While our federalization lawsuit, the soon-to-be-depleted CNMI Retirement Fund, and the scandals at CUC have received a lot of attention, our health system in the CNMI seems to have been largely ignored and forgotten.

CHC has become the proverbial elephant in the room. Everyone sees the problem, but no one really wants to acknowledge it. My question is, why? Dr. Sharma, the chief medical officer of CHC is suddenly leaving, and she is claiming it is for personal reasons. Is it really? I have heard from reliable sources that her husband, Michael Thomas, who is a Systems Administrator at CHC, was being pressured to quit. Dr. Loutaby, CHC’s nephrologist, or kidney doctor, was told to take a 20 percent pay cut or get out of Dodge. Since Dr. Loutaby left, there has been no replacement for him, even though kidney problems in the CNMI are more common than political promises in an election year.

And now, there is talk about demotions and the shutting down of Public Health’s Diabetes Prevention and Control Program. There are 114 dialysis patients in the CNMI. The CNMI ranks number three in the entire world for diabetes per capita. Yet, only $73,000 is budgeted annually on preventing diabetes in the CNMI. Good people like Tayna Camacho and members of the DPCP and the CNMI Diabetes Coalition have to perform miracles with a total budget that is less than what some Cabinet members make. Thank God for people like Tayna. Hasn’t this administration ever heard of the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?”

We need to be honest with ourselves. Political interference and gamesmanship are the true culprits of why things are so bad at CHC, not federalization. Federalization is not chasing away the doctors at CHC. It is politics, plain and simple!

A dear friend of mine who I grew up with since 1975 left Saipan last year and moved to Alaska. He didn’t move because of our dying economy. He and his wife had good-paying jobs, they had a nice home, and they loved it here. He told me the main reason why he and his wife decided to move was because he knew how bad things were getting at CHC, and he was not willing to risk his family’s lives should a medical emergency ever arise. How many other families have moved for the same reason?

With regard to our economy, a few months back, I read that our leaders wanted to pursue the world’s golden market, in the hopes of luring senior citizens to buy homes and spend most of their golden years here. One of the chief concerns was Article XII. Forget about Article XII. Senior citizens would not want to move to an island where the health care is worse than Third World countries. They are older and their health is more fragile, and they would be playing Russian roulette with their lives by moving here right now.

To those who continue to remain silent because they are worried about losing their jobs if they speak out, please realize that your job is meaningless if you lose your life. And if you lose a loved one because of the torrid state of affairs at CHC, your life will feel meaningless.

To our leaders, if there ever were a time for an oversight of a government agency, it is right now. I sincerely hope our Legislature calls in all administrators at CHC as well as the few doctors that are remaining to find out what exactly is going on at CHC. Look in to how many millions is being spent every single year on medical referrals, and how many millions could be saved if we could treat most of the illnesses on island. Talk to patients. Talk to members of the Diabetes Coalition and the Diabetes Control and Prevention Program. The truth will eventually come out if you push hard and do your homework.

And last but not least, to Dr. Sharma and all of our doctors in the CNMI who work the long hours and do their very best to save lives despite the insanity and pressure of island politics, you are truly appreciated and we thank you for your service. Your commitment to the health and well-being of our people will never be forgotten.