KOROR, Palau — The United States has released a $2.37 million grant from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to fund a feasibility study for a new hospital in Palau, according to Minister of Public Infrastructure and Industries Charles Obichang.
The grant, originally approved in January, will be used to assess three potential sites for the new hospital in Koror, Airai and Ngatpang. The current hospital sits near the shoreline, which officials say makes it increasingly vulnerable to sea level rise and other effects of climate change.
The study will help identify the most suitable location for the new hospital and will also include a proposed design.
In addition, USTDA has approved a separate $1.3 million grant to support the development of a master plan for Palau’s airport.
Both grants were among several U.S. government-funded projects temporarily paused earlier this year after President Donald Trump took office and ordered a 90-day review of federal grant programs. That pause also affected a $35 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program, which aims to improve internet access in underserved areas. That funding has also been released and work has resumed.