Maratita is new Rota Health Center director

Mayor Melchor Mendiola appointed former lawmaker Edward Maratita as the new resident director for the Rota Health Center, a position vacated by Crispin Ayuyu who was fired last month due to still unknown reasons.

Maratita confirmed yesterday his appointment issued on Aug. 8 that needs the confirmation of the island’s municipal council within 90 days. As a former lawmaker, the new resident director admitted that he was first reluctant to accept the job because he admitted not possessing the full knowledge about hospital operation.

However due to the pressing need and the desire to serve the people, “I decided to accept the job because I want to serve our people.”

The new resident director said he was surprised by the mayor’s decision to hire him but vowed to perform to the best of his knowledge and capabilities.

Since he assumed the position, Maratita said he’s taking time in observing and familiarizing himself on the center’s operations.

He disclosed that last week, a meeting took place between the RHC and the private manpower firm, Saipan Employment Agency and Services, where the company pleaded for the unpaid salary of its nurses hired at the health center.

As of last month, over $100,000 reportedly is owed to them, covering several months of unpaid wages.

Maratita told Saipan Tribune yesterday that last Saturday, these nurses received checks representing of portion of the said arrears. He did not disclose the amount, but admitted that it was made possible after the central government paid SAES last week.

The new resident director promised to continue to work collaboratively with the SAES to not jeopardize the healthcare delivery on the island. At present, he said the RHC has two physicians onboard and about seven nurses and midlevel providers.

Maratita said the mayor has assured that the municipality will do its best to address the financial concerns at the health center.

Starting the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, Public Law 16-51 mandates the transition of the Department of Public Health into the new Commonwealth Health Corp. including the Rota and Tinian health centers.

Although the new Rota Health Center director believes that there are many “uncertainties” on this transition soon, he declined to give a formal position on the matter. Upon implementation, the government will provide a $5 million seed money for the corporation to run its own operations, an amount described by many as not enough to help the new corporation stand on its own.

The Commonwealth Health Center was placed under a state of emergency on July 21 and it covered the Tinian and Rota health centers. This was made because of the imminent threat of disruption in the delivery of critical healthcare services and its ability to keep the doors open to healthcare facilities due to a severe cash shortage. This cash shortage, the declaration said, has resulted in arrears in payments to vendors of pharmaceutical, medical, dialysis, and food supplies.