Despite requests from two senators from both sides of the aisle, no state of emergency will be declared for Guam Memorial Hospital. Acting Governor Josh Tenorio says work is underway after a viral video showed a leak at the island's only hospital.

A call to declare a state of emergency over the island’s only hospital, Vice Speaker Tina Muna Barnes and Senator Frank Blas, Jr. urging the governor to take this action, after a disturbing video of water gushing from inside GMH made its rounds across social media this week. 

In their letter to the governor, the lawmakers making their case that the declaration would authorize emergency procurement for fixes to GMH.  But Tenorio tells KUAM agencies already have options from the 37th Guam Legislature to declare and file emergencies with the governor to access emergency procurement. 

“The governor informed me yesterday that she spoke to both senators and let them know that there were not any additional things she could get for an emergency declaration that would be able to help this along," the acting governor stated.

Tenorio says the governor went over each concern brought up by Vice-Speaker Barnes and Senator Blas, who previously noted the declaration would unlock $250,000 to cover emergency purchases and contractual agreements.  But Tenorio contends his administration has already allocated $20 million in American Rescue Plan funds to assist GMH's urgent structural needs. 

 “$250,000 is a small amount of money if we need to rely on that to try and push in," he noted. "But as you recall, the governor did set aside federal funds to be utilized for work there. So, my understanding is that that work is being done.” 

GMH officials broke down how those $20 million would be spent in an oversight hearing with the Legislature this past January, as William Kando, assistant administrator of operations for GMH, detailed, “$3 million for additional HVAC system upgrades. Which focuses heavily on air-handling units. This is a major aspect of righting our situation.” 

The replacement of HVAC chilled water lines also included in that section. For the time being, the cause for the leak in the video was a break in the chilled water supply leading to the air handling unit in the emergency department. 

The acting governor says rapid acquisition of services to get things done at the hospital is underway, and plans to follow up on the matter in the coming days. 

In the meantime, Barnes old KUAM that GMH can request a state of emergency, but the governor can declare also one on her own. Until then, she says she continues to urge the governor to appoint adjutant general of the Guam National Guard, Dr. Mike Cruz, to start mediating the concerns happening in the hospital with leadership, until GMH administrator Lilian Posadas returns. 

Dr. Cruz previously had served as the CEO at Guam Regional Medical City.  Just last year, he told the vice speaker at a public hearing the Guam Guard would stand ready to assist with the current crisis at GMH if asked.