An American scientist has offered to build a dialysis unit on the Samoan island of Savaii.
The offer was made by Nafanua Paul Cox who is an ethonobotanist and the Director of the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii.
The scientist made the announcement after visiting the village of Falealupo on Savaii where he holds his chiefly matai title.
He learnt about the increasing number of Samoans diagnosed with kidney failure as a result of diabetes and high blood pressure.
In 30 years of work cataloguing Samoa's vegetation, Nafanua has cemented a deal with Falealupo village to preserve its rainforest for 50 years.
He has carried out studies into the use of the stem of the mamala tree found in Falealupo for treatment of hepatitis.
