The Australian Greens are extremely disappointed that nothing is being done to resolve the crisis facing renal patients in outback South Australia.

"Governments cannot afford to drag their feet on this crucial life and death issue," Australian Greens Health Spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

Letters were tabled in the Senate today from Federal Health minister Ricola Roxon and South Australia's John Hill responding to concerns raised in an Australian Greens motion passed by the Senate late last year - that called for the Commonwealth to step in and resolve the deadlock.

"I am particularly disappointed by the response from the SA Health Minister - which fails to address the tri-state agreement to deliver remote health services that South Australia is meant to have signed on to, and fails to recognise the massive distances patients will now have to travel as a result of his change in policy."

"To their credit the WA and NT governments' recently struck a deal to allow interstate dialysis patients to be treated in Alice Springs, and the Federal government are putting some resources into dialysis in central Australia - sadly however, patients just across the border on APY Lands are still missing out," said Senator Siewert.

"They are being forced to travel to Port Augusta and Adelaide - despite an SA government policy to treat patients as close to home as possible.

"To make matters worse, we hear today that airstrips in APY Lands are closed due to poor maintenance. This now means APY patients needing urgent medical attention need to drive to a town in WA to be flown to Alice to get on a plane to Adelaide for treatment. This is simply ludicrous.

"It's about time the SA government followed the lead of their neighbouring states to address the crisis. And we continue to wait for the Commonwealth to take responsibility and implement a long-term solution not simply rushed, patched-up measures," Senator Siewert concluded.

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