N.H.S. Chief dares Minister

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 16 March 2018, 12:00AM

The Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of the National Health Services (N.H.S.), Palanitina Tupuimatagi Toelupe, has dared the Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Leao Tuitama, to reveal who is spreading “false rumours” in relation to the merge.

Mrs. Toelupe would not speak to the Weekend Observer.

But when the Weekend Observer contacted her in relation to the Minister’s claim that the N.H.S. management is spreading false rumours as part of conspiracies to sabotage the health sector merge, Mrs. Toelupe delivered the message through her Secretary, Temukisa. 

 She said the N.H.S. Chief Executive Officer did not want to comment but she wanted to pass on the message to the Samoa Observer. 

“You should go back and ask the Minister to identify who at the management level have been spreading rumours,” Temukisa said.

“But she does not want to comment.”

The Minister made the claims when he rejected reports that the Government was planning to slash the salaries of doctors working at the hospital as part of the merge between the National Health Service (N.H.S.) and Ministry of Health (M.O.H.).

He instead accused the N.H.S. of spreading false rumours as part of a conspiracy to sabotage the merge. He declined to say any names.

“All this false information is being spread around,” the Minister told the Samoa Observer yesterday. 

“It is the present management that has been spreading the false information that the salaries will be slashed once they come under the P.S.C.” 

Up at Moto’otua, the Weekend Observer understands that several top management staff at N.H.S. are appalled by the claim.

For fear of repercussions, they have asked not to be named. 

“What the Minister did is a reflection of him and his leadership. 

“What type of leader would publicly air out such allegations? If anything, these issues should have been dealt with internally. This is a reflection of his leadership.”

The manager said in the real world, issues such as these are dealt with internally and not publicly. 

Another manager said he could not fathom what had just occurred. 

“I read the paper with astonishment thinking is this really what he said to the Samoa Observer. 

“What the Minister said actually did more harm than good. This will actually create more division rather than the management working with him and other leaders to get the merge underway. 

“Why did he not approach the management level and address the issues and not publicly shame the N.H.S.” 

 As reported earlier, the Minister said the rumours are part of a conspiracy to sabotage the merge that they are looking to implement in July 2018.

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 16 March 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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