Guam’s only public hospital is in the spotlight once again, this time, over a bill that could bring additional dollars in long-awaited upgrades as senators propose using government savings to modernize GMH and make it safer for patients and staff.

It’s clear before you even step foot into the building. The Guam Memorial Hospital is past the breaking point. The hospital’s facilities, many dating back decades, suffer from outdated electrical, fire safety, and HVAC systems.  The Army Corps of Engineers’ assessment and GMH leadership’s testimony underscore the urgent need for capital improvements to ensure patient and staff safety –  from demolition of unsafe buildings and parking expansion, to the implementation of an electronic health records system.

Bill 187, introduced by Senator Sabrina Salas Matanane, Senator Christopher Dueñas, and Senator Jesse Lujan, would dedicate $36 million in bond-refunding savings to fix those problems –  $19 million available this fiscal year, and another $17 million expected in 2027. But it comes with explicit prohibition on using funds for personnel or subjecting them to gubernatorial transfer authority to keep the money targeted and trackable.

On only her fourth day as interim GMH chief executive officer and administrator, Dr. Joleen Aguon said every capital improvement project outlined in the bill is a priority.  “The problem is that we’re only going to get appropriations for this year. The amount that we actually need far exceeds the money that we’re getting," she said.

The physician added that senators’ concerns about proper spending and execution are valid and that every upgrade, from parking to electronic health records, will make a huge impact.

Senator Therese Terlaje said the need for those projects is obvious, saying, “I don’t think you need to convince me or the people of Guam that we need CIP projects at the hospital. We just need to convince them that what money we do have and make available you’re going to go after it aggressively, you’re going to make sure you use it to take care of them.”

Chief medical officer Dr. Ricardo Eusebio added that while similar efforts have come before, this time is different. “I appreciate the fact that it’s been done in the past, but give us a chance," he stated. "Give us an opportunity to get it done.”

as senators urged GMHA to deliver, Dr. Aguon asked for their continued support, saying, “I am asking you to break any barriers because our law is very old and so, we can give you timelines, senator, but if it’s stuck and we’re not within that control, we are still going to be the body that is blamed for it not being done in six to twelve months.”

Transparency remains a shared goal, with Dr. Eusebio putting it bluntly, noting, “A lot of times money is appropriated, but it’s monopoly money. It’s not real money and what we want to do is take the concrete money and spend it. You give us concrete money, I assure you, we’ll spend it.”

If Bill 187 passes, GMH could finally receive that concrete money — $36 million in real, restricted, reportable funds to rebuild Guam’s only public hospital and protect the lives inside it.