People can expect dialysis services in the next few weeks at the National Kidney Research and Treatment Centre in Nadera.
Minister for Health, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says the government moved mountains to bring a biomedical engineer from Samoa in November last year, during this COVID-19 situation, to set-up the machines at the centre.
Waqainabete says they will start testing the machines and also carry out reverse osmosis at the centre from next week.
He says their nephrologists have identified patients who need dialysis, they have been serving them in their clinics and giving them relevant medicines while they wait for dialysis to begin at the centre.
Waqainabete adds they have an Australian nephrologist who is running their nephrologist machine and dialysis clinics at the centre and also at CWM Hospital.
He further says the nephrologist has a team of registrars and nurses who work with him and they have been serving about 10 to 20 patients in a week, for the last 6 months.
Waqainabete also says they have a nephrologist in Lautoka as well, a local who has been trained in New Zealand, and doctors in Labasa.
He says these specialists are administering dialysis to patients.
Waqainabete shared this in a video presentation on the progress of the centre and also responding to National Federation Party parliamentarian Lenora Qereqeretabua’s statement in parliament last week.
Qereqeretabua said in parliament last week that patients are being denied subsidised dialysis in hospitals and the so called dialysis and research centre is gathering dust.
Waqainabete says there is no dust gathering at the National Kidney Research and Treatment Centre in Nadera and it is important that Qereqeretabua and others giving false information to know as they should not be politicizing life and health.
Waqainabete says this information is to help people understand the hard work of our doctors, nurses, citizens, including our Australian nephrologist.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
