Sa Fa’atautaia e le Maota Gasegase se Fa’amoemoe Fiafia e Aloa’ia ai Foma’i Fa’au’u ma Foma’i mo le Lumana’i

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American Samoa Government - PR001-02042026

Posted: February 04, 2026

Sa Fa’atautaia e le Maota Gasegase se Fa’amoemoe Fiafia e Aloa’ia ai Foma’i Fa’au’u ma Foma’i mo le Lumana’i

PAGO PAGO, Amerika Samoa - Sa fa’atautaia e le Maota Gasegase i LBJ se taumafataga o le aoauli auā le toe taliu mai i fanua o tatou Foma’i lotoifale e to’alua, ina ua fa’amanuiaina la taumafai i a’oa’oga tau fa’afoma’i ma a’oa’oga i Univesitē Aoao i Fiti (FNU), ma aloa’ia le tu’uina atu o tagata a’o’oga e to’atolu i a’oa’oga tau fa’afoma’i, ma le to’alua e fa’aauau la a’oa’oga i FNU.

O lenei fa’amoemoe tāua sa fa’ailogaina ai le ta’utinoga a le ali’i Kovana ia Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula mo le ati’ina’ega o le aufaigaluega o le Soifua Maloloina – o se fuafuaga fa’ata’oto auā le tali atu i le to’aitiiti o foma’i ma tagata faigaluega o le falema’i, e ala i le saunia lea o se ta’iala mo tagata a’o’oga fa’alotoifale auā le tuliloaina o faiva tau fuala’au, o faiga o ‘oloa, ma isi galuega feso’ota’i i le soifua maloloina.

Sa auai atu le ali’i Kovana ia Pulaali’i, o sui o le Komiti Fa’afoe o le LBJ ia Ma’ae Bob Tuiāsosopo, le ali’i Faipule ia Faimealelei Anthony Allen, le tōfā manino ia Claire Poumele, o foma’i ua toe taliu mai, o tagata a’o’oga o le a sauni e tu’uva’a atu ma o latou aiga. O lenei fa’atasiga sa aumaia fa’atasi ai tagata e molimau i le tāua o le tautua, ola ofoina atu, ma fa’asoa le agaga o le tu’utō atu auā le fa’amalosia o le soifua maloloina o Amerika Samoa.

O le porokalama mo sikolasipi tau fa’afoma’i, o lo’o fa’amaopoopoina e le vaega o le fa’aleleia o tupe fa’avae o le ofisa o le Kovana (CIP), fa’apea isi porokalama o lo’o fai pa’aga ma le Maota Gasegase i LBJ — ua atagia ai le ta’utinoga fai fa’atasi auā se sao mo taleni fa’alotoifale, ma fa’amalosia le soifua maloloina o Amerika Samoa mo le lumana’i.

Na tatalaina le porokalama i upu fa’afeiloa’i a le Susuga a le Foma’i ia ‘Ēlia Titimaea Ta’ase, ae fa’apea ai ma le Ta’ita’i o le Maota Gasegase i LBJ, le Susuga a le Foma’i ia James Sunia. Sa ia saunoa fo’i i le tāua o le faia o se sao mo taleni fa’alotoifale ina ia fausia ai se soifua maloloina malosi ma le lē ōia gofie.

Na malele le ali’i Kovana i upu fa’amomoi loto, ma fa’aalia lona agaga moni ma le agaga fa’afetai i susuga i Foma’i ua toe taliu mai, ona o latou loto finafinau, loto ofo atu, ma le filifiliga e toe fo’i mai i fanua e tautua o tatou tagata. Sa ia ofoina fo’i upu fa’alā’ei’au mo tagata a’o’oga o le a sauni e tu’uva’a atu, e amana’ia o latou soifua ua tu’u atoa mai, fa’atasi ai ma o latou aiga, o lea ua molimauina ai le aogā tele mo le atunu’u.

Na saunoa le ali’i Kovana ia Pulaali’i, “E le’i faigofie lo outou tautigā. E tāua tele le iai o so tatou Maota Gasegase mautū ma ia mafai ona gafatia so’o se mea i tulaga uma.” Sa ia fa’atāuaina fo’i le a’afiaga malosi o faiga tau soifua maloloina e fa’apea, “O le to’atele o tatou tagata o lo’o alaala i atunu’u mamao e manana’o e toe taliu mai i’inei, peita’i, o le tulaga o le fa’atapula’a o fesoasoani tau soifua maloloina, ua lē mafai ai ona latou toe fo’i mai. Afai e iai so tatou faiga lelei o tatou soifua maloloina i’inei, e toe fo’i mai o tatou aiga ma o tatou tagata.” O Susuga i Foma’i na aloa’ia latou toe taliu mai:

Dr. Jasmine Muasau, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Dr. Talimeli Taufetee, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

O tagata a’o’oga sa fa’amamaluina, auā le aga’i atu ma ē o lo’o fa’aauau a’oa’oga i le Univesitē Aoao i Fiti:

June Peau, Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS I)
Meghan Paletaoga, MBBS I
Gillian Leziton, MBBS I
Maturi Leilua, MBBS III
Elisapeta Vavatau, MBBS III

Sa toe tā’ua e le ali’i Kovana ia Pulaali’i, o le soifua maloloina ma le a’oa’oga, o poutū autū mo le lumana’i o le Teritori, ma fa’amamafaina ai avanoa fa’alautele mo tagata a’o’oga fa’alotoifale, e tāua auā suiga aogā ma ati’ina a’e lelei mo le alualu aga’i luma o Amerika Samoa ma mea e mana’omia.

Sa fa’asoa fo’i la’ua Susuga i Foma’i ia Jasmine Muāsau ma Talimeli Taufete’e i upu fa’amalosi’au ma le fa’autauta, mo tagata a’o’oga o lo’o sauni e tu’uva’a atu mo Fiti. Sa la’ua fa’amamafa le tāua o le maua’a i le fa’atuatua ma ia manatua le ‘auga o latou savaliga.

Sa fa’ai’uina lenei fa’atasiga i le fa’asoaina o le fa’amoemoe ola ma tiute tau’ave fa’atasi, e fa’atāuaina ai i latou ua toe taliu mai i fanua e tautua, ma ē ua loto mau e ō le la’asaga o i luma, e tali le vala’auina o le tautua i vaega ese’ese o le soifua maloloina i totonu o Amerika Samoa.

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LBJ Hospital Hosts Fiji National University Luncheon Honoring Graduates and Future Medical Professionals

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa - LBJ Hospital hosted a luncheon to honor two local doctors who have completed their medical education and training at Fiji National University (FNU), and to formally send off three local medical students beginning their studies, and two continuing students at FNU.

This special gathering highlighted Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula's commitment to healthcare workforce development—a strategic initiative addressing the territory's physician and clinician shortage by creating sustainable pathways for local students pursuing careers in medicine, dentistry, and allied health professions.

The medical scholarship program is coordinated through the Governor's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and Special Programs Office in partnership with LBJ Medical Center – reflecting a unified commitment to investing in local talent and strengthening American Samoa's healthcare future.

In attendance were Honorable Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula, LBJ Board Member Maae Bob Tuiasosopo, Representative Faimealelei Anthony Allen, Dr. Claire Poumele, returning doctors, departing students, and their families. The luncheon brought everyone together in a meaningful celebration of service, sacrifice, and a shared commitment to strengthening American Samoa’s healthcare system.

The program opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. ‘Ēlia Titiimaea Ta’ase and LBJ Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. James Sunia, who officially welcomed the esteemed guests, especially the students and their proud families.

Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula delivered a heartfelt address, expressing his sincerest gratitude to the returning doctors for their perseverance, dedication, and decision to return home to serve their people. He also offered strong words of encouragement to the students preparing to depart, acknowledging the sacrifices they and their families are making in pursuit of a profession that will one day benefit the entire territory.

“It’s nothing easy,” Governor Pulaali’i shared. “It’s very important that we have a solid and able hospital—on all levels.” He further emphasized the broader impact of a strong healthcare system, stating, “Many of our people who live abroad want to come back home, but due to limitations in healthcare and assistance, they are unable to move back. If we have a good healthcare system, people and families will be able to come back.” The returning doctors recognized during the ceremony were:

Dr. Jasmine Muasau, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Dr. Talimeli Taufetee, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

The students who will be attending and continuing their studies:

June Peau, Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS I)
Meghan Paletaoga, MBBS I
Gillian Leziton, MBBS I
Maturi Leilua, MBBS III
Elisapeta Vavatau, MBBS III

Governor Pulaali’i reiterated that health and education are key pillars to the territory’s future, emphasizing that opportunities extended to local students are essential to driving meaningful change and long-term improvements in American Samoa.

The returning graduates, Dr. Jasmine Muasau and Dr. Talimeli Taufetee, also shared words of wisdom and encouragement with the students preparing to depart for Fiji, emphasizing the importance of staying grounded in faith and remembering the purpose behind their journey.

The gathering was a great opportunity to celebrate those who have returned to serve and those who are courageously stepping forward to answer the call to heal, educate, and to serve the health care system in our territory.

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