Dialysis clinic

Sione Vaiomo'unga, 27, played for Tonga at the 2011 Rugby World Cup before securing a contract to play in Romania.

But in 2014, he was diagnosed with kidney disease, and has remained in the eastern European country for dialysis treatment because it is not available in Tonga.

Mr Vaiomo'unga said he is uncertain how he would have fared had he been diagnosed in Tonga, where hundreds of people are said to be in need of dialysis, according to the Tonga Dialysis Foundation.

Dialysis treatment is currently unavailable in the country despite around 200 people being diagnosed with chronic kidney failure each year, and about a third of those needing such treatment.

RNZ reports in the past the government had said it does not have the budget to help patients as a dialysis machine costs up to US$2.3 million.

But Tonga Dialysis Foundation President Siosaia Moehau said they submitted a proposal to government over a year ago to partner with a Fiji company to open a dialysis clinic in the country but they have not heard back.