Guam Memorial Hospital’s top leadership is working directly with the Department of Corrections to strengthen inmate health care operations. Interim chief executive officer Dr. Joleen Aguon and members of the GMH board of trustees toured the Mangilao facility this week to assess medical needs, staffing, and inter-agency coordination.

The tour discussed inmate health care operations, staffing needs, and ongoing collaboration. DOC director Fred Bordallo, Jr. said, "GMH is like DOC in this situation, we have to pay our debts, the FY26 budget issue came up, she asked us about it, we said its something like $3.6 million that's appropriated for the medical staff and the overall cost we knew it is going to be over $3.6 - we always have the support of the Office of the Governor for any shortfalls, to cover whatver is owed to ensure that the inmates have the adequate healthcare that they are obligated to receive.”212

Bordallo said Dr. Aguon met with staff to review the tri-agency MOU among DOC, GMH, and the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, focusing on coordination and current staffing levels. He stressed that the discussion did not involve any GMH budget cuts, but rather ways to strengthen support for DOC's Medical Unit.

"She assured us and told us in front of her medical staff, she is not here to lower any quality of healthcare because she is the business of lifesaving. We are in the same business at DOC on lifesaving," he said.

Dr. Aguon was joined by Dr. Ricardo Eusebio, chief finnacial officer Yuka Hechanova, and assistant administrators Christine Tuquero and Belle Rada. DOC currently houses about 700 inmates in Mangilao, including around 50 women at Post 8.

"We have 300+ pre-trial inmates part of the overflow. The other 200 is in hagatna. We have another 400 sentenced. So we have about 700 here in Mangilao," said Bordallo. "I would say about 50 are women, which is unusual because that women's Post 8 are some pre-trial, some confinees, and some federal that we have to watch too and ensure the segregation is there."

About 15 medical personnel rotate shifts to provide inmate care, with discussions also addressing Medicaid use for eligible inmates and coordination with Guam Behavioral Health. Despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, Bordallo said DOC continues housing federal inmates and appreciates the US Marshals Service’s notice about delayed payments.

Bordallo called the meeting positive — a reaffirmation that GMH and DOC share one purpose: life-saving care, inside and out.