It's been revealed the government hospital in the Northern Marianas owes the local power company around $US40 million, with the latter demanding at least five million be paid by 6 August.
Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation Photo: wikicommons
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, CHCC, was also being asked to produce its own power for six hours a day.
The CHCC said it wanted to pay its bills, but it had been shouldering uncompensated care to the tune of around $US16 million a year.
It said for years the government had failed to allot a budget for such care.
On the production of its own electricity, the CHCC said its generator and break panel were already 30 years old and were unreliable.
It added that the hospital was a 24/7 operation and a faulty generator could endanger the lives of patients.
The hospital also said it did not have a backup generator.