The agreement was signed last week Friday by Minister of Health and the Environment, Senator Ann David-Antoine, and Health Care Administrator and Chairman of IHS, Dr Trevor Forrester.

The dialysis treatment will be provided by IHS, a private company, that is in the process of organising its clinic at Belmont, St George's.

The company has given a commitment to work in partnership with the government of Grenada to make the services available.

According to Sen. David-Antoine, the Grenada Cabinet has given its blessing and consent to the project.

"We've reached this significant milestone and we only have about three months to go before we see the first patient being treated, being dialysed right here in Grenada," she said.

IHS is promising to make the service available people both in the region and beyond. Dr. Forrester pointed out that the IHS operation will meet international standards and much higher than the one presently in operation in Trinidad and Tobago.

Over the years, nationals have been making efforts to have dialysis treatment available in Grenada, with Grenadians living in England donating a number of machines. The Health Minister also updated the media on the status of the machines that were placed on the compound of the Mirabeau Hospital.

She said that the machines suffered damages as a result of Hurricane Ivan, and that the IHS team looked at the equipment and it may be possible that some things might be salvaged. However, she was quick to add that the possibility of salvaging the equipment at this point in time seems very unlikely.

Sen. David-Antoine said that even if the machines are not usable the fact remains that the machines and the support given by friends in the United Kingdom played a part in the process get going in the country.