Fe
Proposal.
Mr. Donn Gaeda then discussed the budget aspects set
forth on pages 104 andII0 of the document.
Thebudget proposal
for the four atolls plan includes costs for a special charter
ship making at least eight visits a year to the pamed four atolls.
mee
Discussion on the Loma Linda Proposal
*.
Mr. Safford, State, asked if there would be sizeable reduction of
costs in the four atoll plan if the special ship could be eliminated.
Dr. Hart indicated that, in time if airfields were built on all of
the atolls
(i.e., Rongelap and Utirik, Kili Island)
air transpor-
tation could be used, but there would still be mertain primary care
services that could not be met by using air service.
eneET
Mr.
Cogswell,
OMB,
referred to P.L.
96-205 and asked what is the
responsibility of the Government of the Marshal¥°Islands for
providing basic health care to its citizens.
It was noted that
the budget proposals for the four atoll proposal; as well as a
health care proposal for all of the Marshalls, Smcluded a first
year contribution of $3.5 million from MarshalleZslands Government
funding, and MIG funds also would be available :
continuing years.
In answer to a question on cost escalation, Dr.:Hart explained
that an approximate 20% inflationary factor had'*been built into
the proposal after year one, i.e., 1980.
Also population growth
had been taken into account.
ES
ie
Mr. Gerry, MIALP, stated the proposal was a fing health plan but
he denied the fact that radiation problems are got "minimal" as
stated in the proposal.
In fact, he believes they are "great"
in the Marshalls.
Up and beyond the actual radiation aspects,
there are mental health effects that also are very significant.
Special health care for all aspects of radiatiom” related aspects
should be provided to the "affected peoples" by-the United States
ay
Wy
4
Government.
He commented that in his estimation,
the plan by denying or down-
for the U.S.
Congress searcely would
grading the radiation factors has
Congress to accept it.
made it politically impossible
underwrite health care for all the people of théMarshalls unless
it were shown that the underlying cause was carg needed because
of results of the U.S.atomic testing program. ZAdditionally, the report was contradictory on ée “radiation
aspects".
The overall plan stressed "minimal effects of
radiation" yet the report in places also stressed the "thyroid
abnormalities" of the Rongelapese and Utirikes@#and other related
radiation effects on the exposed people".
He a@iso found the _
Table 4 on page“@7 showed cancer
statistics cited unexplained.
to be the leading cause of death in the Marshai%s.
Would you not
more
@&uses
other
have
to
area"
expect in an "undeveloped
important?
Was it not possible that radiation*exposure might be
reflected in the cancer statistics?
on children?
ties,
etc.?
Had any studies been done
What about the documented reports? of birth abnormali-
Why were these aspects ignored?
-8-