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MVA, DPH move to purchase decompression chamber for diving
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Posted on Apr 28 1999
Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio will meet with Public Health Secretary Kevin Villagomez in a move to discuss the problem of acquiring a decompression chamber amid the aggressive campaign promoting the Northern Marianas as an ideal diving destination in the Pacific.
As part of its promotion, the CNMI recently attempted to enter the Guinness Book of World Records by holding the most number of people entering the water for a single recreational dive. A total of 220 scuba divers from CNMI, Guam and Japan joined the event.
Tenorio admitted that MVA does not have any funds for the immediate acquisition of the facility since its budget is only enough to pay for the salaries of its personnel and carry out promotional campaigns.
Diving operators have expressed concern on the lack of a decompression chamber because it will have a negative effect on the Northern Marianas in case a serious accident occurs.
In the same manner, public health is suffering from the current financial woes as the appropriation for this year was also subjected to budgetary cuts.
Public Health Secretary Kevin Joe Villagomez said the decompression or hyperbaric chamber can be used by diabetic patients thus, the department is interested to find ways on how it can help MVA acquire the needed equipment.
“Since both agencies need the equipment, maybe we can finally sit down and discuss ways on how to finally acquire it in the future,” he said. Villagomez added that DPH can provide the needed technical expertise in operating the equipment which would cut down the maintenance cost.
Diabetes is a common, serious, chronic disease in which the body fails to produce normal sugar levels in the blood and urine. It has been considered the leading disease and one of the top 10 causes of death in the Northern Marianas for several years now.
Its forms vary—type 1 is defined as insulin dependent; type 2 is non-insulin dependent, and; gestational diabetes which develops among pregnant women and usually disappears after they have given birth.
If not treated well, diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, high-blood pressure, blindness, lower extremity amputations, dental disease and kidney failure.
