Health officials in Savaii are concerned that interisland ferries serving the Mulifanua-Salelologa route have more than once refused to return for ambulances carting patients in critical conditions even if they are less the five minutes away from the dock.

On Friday, the good work of the medical staff ensured that a pregnant woman with complications did not lose her baby or her life. This happened after a ferry failed to return for an ambulance.

According to the health officials, the ambulance arrived just five minutes after the ferry had departed.

The Assistant Chief Executive Officer supervising the Tuasivi Hospital in Savaii, Pili Aliisolia Alatiu explained that if not for the medical staff, the behaviour of the ferry crew could have led to the loss of lives.

He said this is not the first time.

"We had a patient on that day and it was a first-time mother who was having complications with her labour although her water had broken and the baby had started appearing," he explained.

"It was due to her pregnancy complications that led us to the decision of sending her to Apia for treatments in the 2 pm boat and normally, when the doctor informs me of such a case, I always call the Salelologa wharf to wait for the ambulance because the doctor has to do some preparations first for the patient before the ambulance can get on the boat.

"A few minutes to 2 pm and our team called back saying the boat had left although it hadn't even reached the reef yet so I called the S.P.A team that was on duty and he said the team on the boat informed them that the Mulifanua team ordered for the boat to depart as the ambulance was cancelled."

Pili further stressed that attempts were made by the Samoa Ports Authority (S.P.A.) team at Salelologa to stop the boat and return for the ambulance but it was not successful.

Meanwhile, the ambulance returned to the Tuasivi Hospital to wait for another two hours for the next ferry and to monitor the pregnant woman there where it was safer. The woman was taken to Upolu on the 4 pm ferry.

"The positive thing is that both the mother and her child had a safe and successful delivery although the baby almost couldn't make it, they're both fine," Pili added.

Meanwhile, attempts to seek a comment from S.P.A and the Samoa Shipping Corporation (S.S.C.) on Sunday were unsuccessful specifically from the officers who were involved in the ferry operations on the day.