Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero was a guest speaker at the 2023 Pacific Defense Contracting Summit in Honolulu last week.

The event brings together congressional and military leaders, contracting experts, and business leaders to discuss some $858 billion in defense spending for the Pacific region.

One of the issues the governor focused on in her remarks was the significant gaps in comprehensive civilian and military medical services across the region.

She said regional human health security was her number one priority, and that Guam is "uniquely positioned to be the regional center of excellence for medical services and human health...which is consistent with the needs of my people as well as the national security strategy."

The governor also said she met with Indo-Pacific commander Admiral John Aquilino who she said wants to "help breathe new life into enhancing medical services on Guam."

Separately, Leon Guerrero has been pushing for the construction of a new hospital medical campus in Barrigada.

A public hearing on legislation proposed by her is set for Nov. 1.