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As the 177 Health Program is
attempting to work out its new, reduced-service role,
affected islanders say they are not happy with the level of
service and are hoping that the US government will resume
funding the program later this year.
The program is just trying to
survive through September 30 on funding limited to $500,000,
said Rongelap Mayor James Matayoshi. Normally, the program
has operated on a $2 million annual budget.
“The word I’m getting from
Washington is that it may be feasible for the US Congress to
provide $4 million a year for the health care program,” he
said. “I hope that the US government gets the message that
the program is in crisis. September 30 is no joke for the
four atolls.”
Dr. Robyn McIntyre said
that the program is “trying to prevent the same situation as
occurred at the end of 2003”, when the future of the the
program was in doubt and it was nearly closed. The current
funding should get the program through September, but
decisions about the program beyond that date need to be made
many months in advance in order to keep it functioning, she
added.
“I’m not satisfied with the
current way the program is,” Matayoshi said, adding that
benefits are being reduced.
If the US Congress supports
the program at a $4 million a year level, it will be
possible to make improvements in health services provided,
he said, pointing out that for the first 17 years of the
Compact the program was funded at $2 million a year with no
inflation adjustment.
“Rongelap is an ‘exposed’
population,” he said. “This program is really critical to
our well-being.” |
