Parliament convened yesterday to deliberate the supplemental budget of $13.95 million tala, where Member of Parliament for Aleipata Itu i Luga Fuaava Suluimalo Amataga appealed to the Ministry of Health to consider installing dialysis machines for patients from the rural areas.
Due to the high cost of petrol, people that require dialysis have relocated to the town area so they can attend their dialysis appointment. Fuaava asked the government to set up an extension to cater specifically for the maternal ward and dialysis ward which would be accessible and convenient for patients residing in rural areas.
Also for the Health Ministry to consider having a technician team to operate the machines for dialysis and reiterated to set up a training unit as done before. Fuaava also acknowledged the services provided by the doctors and nurses servicing the hospital at Aleipata and other villages close to Aleipata.
Minister of Health Valasi Tafito Selesele acknowledged for always citing important issues and urged other opposition lawmakers to follow suit, but made it clear there is no budget in the supplementary to cater for such requests (specifically for a dialysis treatment facility in Lalomamu).
According to Valasi there is a possibility of this happening in the future, and that would require people to be trained so they can fully provide this service in the villages, especially with the handling of equipment for dialysis treatment as these are very expensive equipment.
Last year the government dedicated its new $1.7 million tala dialysis treatment facility at the national hospital catering for 60 patients.
