28 May 2018

Indian hospitals signs health care deal with Samoa

8:50 am on 28 May 2018

Samoa's government has signed an agreement with India's Apollo hospital to provide local treatment for cancer, heart and kidney patients.

Apollo hospital doctors with Samoa Ministry of Health staff.

Apollo hospital doctors with Samoa Ministry of Health staff. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Autagavai Tipi Autagavai

The deal was revealed last week by a team of three doctors from Apollo who met with Samoa's Prime Minister, Health Minister and Ministry of Health management.

The vice president of Apollo, Harinder Singh Sidhu, said the cost of surgery would be very low compared to Samoa's overseas healthcare programme.

Dr Singh Sidhu said chemotherapy would be done locally as well as transplant operations for organs such as kidneys.

He said a kidney transplant would cost about $US3000.

There would be regular visits from various specialists, according to Dr Singh Sidhu.

"We have the cancer specialist and the kidney specialist this time and (in) the times to come we'll have heart specialists, we'll have neurosurgeons, spine specialists, orthopaedic surgeons and other areas," he said.

Dr Singh Sidhu said Indian specialists would also provide training for Samoan medical staff.

Last year, the government started sending patients to India for cancer and heart treatment.

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