A needle is inserted for dialysis. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation.
A dialysis centre built on the southernmost island of the Northern Marianas seven years ago still has not opened its doors because of a lack of funds says the
Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation said it's not able to open the centre on Rota because it can not afford to run it.
The dialysis centre needs major renovations, repairs, and qualified personnel according to the Corporation's Chief executive Esther Muna
She was responding to a call by Senator Paul Manglona, that the long-delayed centre opening was because people on Rota were burdened by the cost of traveling to Saipan for treatment.
The health chief said the cost of making the centre operational would run into the millions of dollars.
The $US1.5 million dialysis centre was built through federal capital improvement project money and was finally completed in 2009.
