Samoa's Minister of Health says kidney transplants should help lighten the load carried by the country's dialysis unit at the National Kidney Foundation.
Tuitama Dr Talalelei Tuitama said 109 patients were treated at the dialysis unit three times a week.
He said while the patients were charged $US3.80 per session, the actual cost of $US388 is carried by the foundation which was funded by government grants and donations.
Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama Photo: Samoa government
Tuitama said introducing a kidney transplant scheme would reduce the cost of dialysis treatment but he did not say by how much.
He said the foundation wanted to start talking to families about the possibility of that kind of treatment.
The Samoa Observer reported the foundation's general manager, Mulipola Lose Hazelman, saying the major portion of donated funds go into preventive efforts.
Mulipola said the bulk of the government grant go to funding dialysis treatments and pre-dialysis clinics.
He said 10 years ago only 26 patients were treated at the unit.
