HILARY HOSIA
Marshallese on dialysis treatment abroad now have the opportunity to return or visit home following the opening of the Majuro hospital Hemodialysis Center that took place Wednesday this week.
For decades, Marshallese on referral treatment for kidney complications could not travel home because dialysis is required several times per week.
“With the treatment center now up and running, patients can return home temporarily or if they choose, return for treatment here,” Public Health Director Dr. Frank Underwood told the Journal.
The treatment center began receiving patients this week following Cabinet endorsement for opening the new center last week. The center is able to treat up to 40 patients. As of Wednesday’s opening, two patients have started dialysis treatment.
The opening of the new treatment center delivers on one of the first promises President Hilda Heine made when she took office in January 2024: That the RMI government would pay for the establishment and operation of a dialysis center. In the mid-1980s, the RMI government at the time made the policy decision to halt dialysis treatment due to its high cost. Nearly 40 years later, the service has been resumed at Majuro hospital.
Manu Munjbhargay expressed appreciation on behalf of the company that has set up the service for the government.
He was followed on the program by Ministry of Health and Human Services Minister Ota Kisino.
To reiterate President Hilda Heine’s state of the union address at the beginning of the year where the president said this year is the year of hope, Minister Ota said: “No Marshallese battling kidney failure will have to leave their island, their family and their culture just to survive.”
Minister Ota’s message of hope was crystal clear to potential patients, “your healings belong home,” he said.
Minister Ota paid tribute to Hemiko Bingham, the first Marshallese trained on self-care dialysis unit following the care of a 13-year-old Marshallese girl that was sent to Honolulu for treatment. The girl and her family longed to return home while in treatment in Honolulu and Dr. Arnold Seimsen made their wish possible by traveling to Majuro with the family. It was then that Hemiko began her training.
Minister Ota said the former clinic treated 17 patients before being overwhelmed leading to its closure, which makes the opening ceremony of the new center a literal beacon of hope.
RMI Honorary Consul to India Mona Strauss was also honored in the ceremony.
President Heine joined Theresa Kisino and the Indian delegation in the ribbon cutting ceremony after a brief entertainment by a group of students nurses.