The Opposition Leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, has urged the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Health, June Scanlan Lui, to find a way to pay the $12 million debt for medications from overseas.
The question was put to Tuilaepa by the media during his usual press conference on Thursday about what the Ministry of Health should do to avoid the shortage of medications at the National Hospital.
"This is all part of the CEO's responsibility, pay it up," he said.
"The question is, why hasn't it been paid? Pay it up, or the hospital will face a very bad shortage of medications and supplies needed for the patients."
A continuing shortage of basic medicines at Samoa’s main hospital in Moto’otua is leaving many patients frustrated and forcing families to spend extra money at private pharmacies to access essential treatment.
