Fiji needs to have a kidney research center to enable the Health Ministry to conduct a research on how to reduce the cost of consumables.

Health Minister Rosy Akbar confirmed in parliament that this is a solution they have come up with to be able to reduce the cost of kidney dialysis treatment in the country.

She says this is where the major cost lies after speaking to the Labasa board of visitors, the Economy Minister and Dr Amrish Krishnan-Fiji’s lone Nephrologist.

“Yes you need treatment three times a week, some people can’t afford it, and we’re working onto that. Lautoka hospital will soon have its own 4 bed dialysis facility. We’re yet to identify a space to start that. We have the machines. We have the machines. We have the consumables. Our own doctors and nurses will run that like how its run in Labasa hospital but to bring the cost down we’re trying to research and see where we can get the best quality consumables. We don’t want to compromise on the consumables and reduce the cost just for the sake of reducing it because there’s health effects on a person who uses those consumables like needles and others that are needed.”

Akbar says they need to conduct research and collect data so the cost of dialysis treatment is reduced.

The government has allocated $1m in the national budget to open the Kidney Hub that will be headed by Dr Krishnan.

The Minister has also confirmed that a facility is also expected to be set up in Tamavua to house ten dialysis machines.

This facility is expected to be set up in 6-9 months or even earlier than that.

She adds a land belonging to the Ministry has already been identified where this facility will sit on.