Fijians with kidney disease will now be able to access specialized nephrology care.

This comes as Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama today commissioned the Fiji National Kidney Centre in Nadera.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Centre, Bainimarama says this is the first Centre to offer specialized nephrology care which means a specialist is on call at all times, from the screening process to the dialysis care to the review of treatment plans.

“Having that expertise available means patients at risk of developing a serious case of kidney disease can be diagnosed early and receive treatment when they are proven to be most effective. This centre will provide dialysis treatment for approximately 40 patients a week with 180 dialysis sessions and those services can be scaled up to meet demand of course.”

Bainimarama also highlighted that in the face of one of the great medical challenges in history, the Coronavirus Pandemic Fiji can be proud to be making these historic strides to realize the health that our Fijian constitution enshrines for every Fijian.

“Not only have we kept Fiji safe from the terrible cost of COVID-19, we have continued to improve reach and quality of the health care we afford the people of Fiji, that journey continues today in Nadera as we proudly open the doors of the Fiji National Kidney Centre.”

The Prime Minister says there is treatment for different types of kidney dialysis now available in Fiji that include, acute, chronic or long term.

Bainimarama says acute dialysis services are offered at the CWM Hospital and the Lautoka hospital adding that government subsidizes those treatments for our citizens with an annual allocation of $100,000.

He adds that the Fiji National Kidney Centre offers treatment for chronic kidney disease, which is an issue for far too many Fijians and the families that love and care for them.

Bainimarama says the specialized treatments will also directly subsidized by the government to ensure they are available for all Fijians.