Health in the Federated States of Micronesia

[2][3] Pingelap in Pohnpei State is notable for the prevalence of an extreme form of color blindness called achromatopsia, and known locally as maskun.

[4][5] The healthcare system developed under the US naval administration after World War II when the US Navy sponsored students to train as medical and nurse assistants in Guam.

Under the Pacific Island Health Care Program patients were sent to Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii for treatment not available in Micronesia.

After independence the government had difficulty in meeting these costs, and cut back on local facilities in order to pay for referrals, which still had financial and technical support from the United States.

The governor declared a state of emergency, saying "There is no sufficient pool of qualified nurses and doctors available on island for immediate recruitment to help prevent or minimize disruptions to the operation and services of the hospital".