Guam doctors OK’d to practice in NMI

Gov. Juan N. Babauta signed an emergency regulation yesterday that lifts the prohibition on Guam physicians from practicing medicine in the CNMI. He also issued an order declaring a state of public health emergency in the CNMI following the onslaught of Supertyphoon Chaba.

“It’s an emergency regulation which now allows Guam doctors to come and practice here,” said Babauta.

The governor said the emergency regulation was needed to ensure that the CNMI gets urgent medical care from physicians based on Guam.

“It benefits us [both Guam and CNMI],” he said.

Guam Gov. Felix Camacho had reportedly offered to send some medical personnel to the CNMI for emergency assistance.

In a report to the governor, Public Health Secretary James U. Hofschneider said that a family doctor is needed on Tinian.

Likewise, three patients on Tinian need to be evacuated to Saipan for urgent medical attention, said Vicki Villagomez, the governor’s authorized representative on federal emergency assistance.

On Rota, there was no request for additional doctors as of yesterday.

However, Rota’s medical supplies will only last a week, said Villagomez, who, together with some key emergency personnel, headed to Rota yesterday afternoon to conduct an initial damage assessment.

“We need assistance on critical facilities such as the hospital [and clinics],” she said.

Villagomez said that only one generator is working at the Rota Health Center. Right now, the clinic needs fans, bed sheets, and wet and dry vacuum, she said.

She said that Rota also reported one death but it has not been determined yet if it was typhoon-related.

Rota is believed to have been hardest hit by Supertyphoon Chaba compared with Saipan and Tinian.

Villagomez said that, while power was restored at the Commonwealth Health Center Monday night, satellite clinics remained closed.

CHC, she said, is experiencing problems in its air-conditioning. As a result, it could not operate its CT scan machine. “It needs air-conditioning to operate,” she said.

She said that CHC and RHC reported “multiple leaks everywhere” in the buildings.

Babauta declared a state of emergency in the CNMI Monday and asked the White House to expeditiously declare it a major disaster area.

Initial estimates placed the typhoon damage in the CNMI at $18 million.

“That figure is very preliminary,” said Villagomez, noting that it only involves public infrastructures such as roads and government offices.

Meantime, Villagomez said the number of evacuees in schools went down yesterday to 533 from 867 Monday, as some of them have gone back home. Some of these people were forced to return to the temporary shelters, though, due to damaged houses and flooding caused by continuous rains.

“The number [of evacuees] fluctuates,” she said.