The more we can collect, the fewer patients will be charged.

These are the words of Kidney Foundation Chairman Dewan Maharaj in regards to the Kidney Foundation of Fiji Awareness Walkathon held on Saturday.

He said what people fail to realise is that kidney failure is an epidemic and more than 400 to 500 people die every year.

Maharaj adds they're looking at collecting over twenty five thousand dollars from the walkathon, but even this will not be enough since the Foundation needs at least a hundred thousand dollars every six months.

He adds there's no treatment available in the country and they're looking at ways to get a kidney specialists into the country to be based at one of the major hospitals, to carry out transplants to ease the expensive treatment which can only be done overseas.

Maharaj also thanked the Minstry of Health for granting the Foundation a grant that will ease the expenses of buying medical equipment from overseas.