Samoans now obtaining surgical needs in India

SAMOA – Samoa has begun sending patients needing medical treatment overseas to India instead of New Zealand.

It comes as India is also offering to send doctors to Samoa to undertake surgeries and provide additional skills training for Samoa medical personnel.

Radio New Zraland’s Samoa correspondent, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia said the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, made the announcement two weeks ago, saying it costs the country a fortune to send people overseas.

“It was revealed by the Prime Minister and he said it is a lot cheaper to take our patients for medical referral overseas to India instead of New Zealand.

“He said 20 million tala, around $US10 million dollars, the government is spending every year now, sending patients to New Zealand for operations and other medical treatments.

Samoa has found it is cheaper to go to India even though the distance is that much greater.

“It is a much longer trip from Samoa to India but the cost of that travel to India and back and the cost of treatment is a lot cheaper – but he didn’t provide any figure,” Autagavaia said.

“I can confirm, from the director general that two patients were sent to India last week – one has a liver problem and one is a heart patient. The people still haven’t made up their minds what to say, because we have to wait on the two patients sent last week on the outcome of their treatment in India.

He said India is developing closer links with Pacific countries and there is a suggestion that Indian doctors are going to be brought into Samoa as well.

“The prime minister was saying that India is willing to bring their medical doctors here – surgeons and all, most probably nurses as well, to do surgical operations here for some of the patients here in

“And he says that will give local doctors here another window to learn more from the doctors in In

- RNZI