The Ministry of Health is steadfast in its commitment to reducing the incidence of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases in the country.
Minister for Health, Dr Neil Sharma made these comments at the official opening of the Western Dialysis Centre located at the Zen Min Low Medical Centre in Nadi.
Dr Sharma said the Western Dialysis Centre would bring relief to those suffering from kidney failures in the West because they would not have to travel to Suva anymore for dialysis.
He said the percentage of Fiji’s population suffering from kidney diseases as a result of Diabetes was worrying.
“We note a substantial incidence of Diabetes in our midst. 16 pe rcent of the population now has diabetes, over all divides of ethnicity and culture. The end stage of diabetes mellitus includes eye, heart, kidney and limb damage,” Dr Sharma said.
The Health Ministry is also working on having a facility for kidney transplantation in Fiji which would bring more relief to patients of renal disease.
“Short term dialysis prior to renal transplants is one option for our Fiji citizens. Shortly, we will have facility for renal transplantation in Fiji through joint ventureship being formalised. Long term renal dialysis is the other option when renal transplant is not an option.
“Government of Fiji through Ministry of Health is propecting the option of generic Erythropoietin (A hormone produced by the kidney that promotes the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow) and post renal transplant medicine for patients following kidney transplants,” Dr Sharma added.
The $400,000 Western Dialysis Centre has been set up by the Smith family of Musket Cove and Doctor Zen Low of Zen’s Medical Centre as well as ANZ Bank, which provided financial support to buy equipment.
Dr Sharma added that former citizens abroad and tourists would also benefit hugely from the facility when they came to Fiji for a holiday.
“A lot of our former citizens abroad especially from the West will be comforted to know of this set up. They will probably consider a vacation to Fiji along with others who may wish to travel to our beautiful islands. They would have a holiday and at the same time, a facility in the West for dialysis,” he said.
Dr Sharma highlighted that the Western Dialysis Centre is in operation with the hope of providing life support to the people of Fiji.
The centre is also trying to set up a charity trust fund to help those patients that cannot afford dialysis or have to do lesser dialysis than required of them.
A dialysis charge per session is $250 with injection cost amounting to $80.
Thirteen patients are on dialysis at the Western Dialysis Centre.
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