Health Minister clarifies Dialysis Patients fees

By Lagi Keresoma/

“It costs a Samoan patient NZ$980 for dialysis treatment in New Zealand and ST$600 for a Samoan overseas patient to be treated locally.”

Apia, Samoa – 23 January 2024: The Minister of Health, Valasi Luapitofanua Togamaga has responded to accusations in Parliament that the Government was charging too much for Samoans visiting from overseas and needed dialysis treatment while in Samoa.

The accusation was thrown at the Minister by the Vaimauga 1 Member of Parliament, Sulamanaia Tuivasa Tauiliili as a slight to the FAST governments’ overseas supporters when the Opposition MP said that these were the people who supported the party in the elections.

He also said that these unhappy people have expressed their disappointment on social media.

Valasi said the current fees for dialysis patients was approved by the Dialysis Board in September 2023 at ST$600 for visiting Samoans and ST$1000 for foreigners.

He clarified that these cases have been a strain on the system as visiting dialysis patients just turn up at the hospital or at his office and expect the Dialysis Unit to drop everything and their scheduled daily treatments to make way for their treatment.

The Minister said these patients need to contact the hospital before they travel over and bring their health records to make it easier for the Ministry and the Kidney Foundation Unit.

“But some of these cases, people complaint a lot and are very rude to the health staff but when in New Zealand, you cannot argue over the fees in order to get treatment,” said Valasi.

The Minister explained that many of these cases end up at his office and he had to use his discretion as the Minister to help these people and address any negative complaints they may have.

He encouraged the overseas Samoan dialysis patients to consider their own health condition before travelling over and make prior arrangement with the Ministry to ensure they would have treatment ready and reserved for when they arrive.

“Many of these people come over for funerals and they should consider their own health whether it is worth travelling over for someone’s funeral against their own health condition,” said the Minister.

He admitted that quite a few overseas Samoan dialysis patients who travel over for funerals or weddings expect the dialysis unit staff to drop the scheduled local patients in order for them to be treated.

Then they complain about the cost of the treatment. “But we have to make allowances for them to be treated,” said the Minister.