National Federation Party MP Lenora Qereqeretabua.

National Federation Party MP Lenora Qereqeretabua claims the government has failed to equip public hospitals with dialysis machines.

Qereqeretabua claims people with failing kidneys are suffering despite the new charges for Dialysis treatment from December.

She claims Fijians have been denied subsidized dialysis treatment.

“A kidney patient on dialysis as we all know needs three treatments per week. It would cost him or her between $600 and $750 per week. This cost is beyond the reach of a decent salary earner”.

Qereqeretabua also claims that the Government has failed to deliver as promised.

“A Kidney and Research Center is gathering dust in Nadera, no research, no dialysis despite the assurance in parliament during the 2020/2021 budget deliberation in July last year that it would be operational by November 2020. If this is not a broken promise then what is?”

However, the Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says the Nadera Dialysis Center is fully operational.

Dr Iferemi Waqainabete adds fifteen dialysis machines arrived last April contrary to the claims by the NFP.

“Ten machines are now at that centre and the others we have distributed because we want to be able to support our ICU facility for COVID 19 so they are in Suva, Lautoka, Labasa and they are looking after patients on a daily basis.”

The Health Minister says they are paying $9,300 to treat nineteen patients at the Labasa Dialysis Centre every month.

They are also looking at opening a dialysis centre in Suva where it will cost $150 per treatment and are negotiating with the centres in the West to bring down costs.