The National Kidney Foundation will relocate this year to a building previously housing the National Health Services’ Pharmaceutical and Laboratory Services.

This was highlighted in the National Kidney Foundation of Samoa (NKFS) Annual Report for the Financial Year July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

“In December 2017, Cabinet approved for the Foundation to relocate to the building previously housing the Pharmaceutical and Laboratory Services of National Health Services. 

“Work on this is in progress and hopefully be in operation by mid-2019,” the report stated.  

The Foundation’s relocation is to cater for the increasing number of dialysis treatments in Samoa – both in Upolu and Savai’i.

The Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Leao Tuitama, in a previous interview said they are continually struggling to keep up with the number of people needing dialysis.

To highlight the increasing demand for the treatment, he said: “We have gone from just five patients in 2005 to 125 patients who require regular treatment.”

Tuitama added that there are approximately 300 people at the “pre-dialysis stage”, who are awaiting treatment and attempting to slow the degeneration of their kidneys.

The Foundation currently has 27 dialysis units, which cater for 110 patients needing dialysis in Upolu alone, with another 12 patients in Savai’i. Visiting hours have also been extended from 6:30am to 11pm, with three rotations of patients coming in each day, to get their thrice weekly dialysis treatment. 

The report also emphasized that the 2017/2018 Financial Year also saw a continued increase in the demand for dialysis – by both local residents and overseas Samoans.

“During that year 20 patients died, while the NKFS as of June 30, 2018 had 119 permanent patients – seven in Tuasivi and 112 at the Motootua unit.  

“Acute dialysis was administered to 22 patients at the National Health Service during the 2017-2018 financial year and a total of 95 (72 in the previous year) of ‘holiday patients’ were administered a total of 351 dialysis treatments.”