Stepping up nephrology care in Samoa
ISN headed to Samoa recently to begin developing partnerships with the medical community on the island. The visit revealed how strengthening the ties between ISN, the Asia Pacific Society of Nephrology (ASPN), the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN) and the National Kidney Foundation Samoa (NKFS) provides valuable training to local doctors and nurses. It also creates opportunities for improved renal care delivery.
This three-day visit began with a strategic planning meeting at the Ministry of Health in Apia between Samoan stakeholders and representatives from ISN, ASPN and ANZSN. The purpose: to discuss opportunities for the development of nephrology in Samoa.
This was followed by a very well attended ISN Continuing Medical Education course at Apia Hospital, welcoming hospital medical and nursing staff, medical students, local general practitioners and individuals from NKFS.
The course highlighted the importance of assessing acute kidney injury (AKI) early, managing and screening chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients as well as treatment options for end-stage kidney disease and dialysis and transplantation.
Discussions also centered on the 0by25 initiative and the already-active ISN Sister Renal Center partnership between hospitals in Fiji and Australia. Read more.
With a high and growing burden for CKD in Samoa, there is an increasing demand for preventative renal healthcare programs as well as more renal education and training for medical and nursing staff. Hopefully, these will be achieved through ongoing collaboration between ISN, APSN, ANZSN and Samoa into the future.
