A Charity Golf Tournament in aid of medical assistance, treatment and support to the needy in Fiji will be held at the Manukau Golf Club, Auckland on March 9.
The Friends of Fiji Health Foundation (FOFHF) is organising the tournament under the lead sponsorship of Bank of Baroda, with Air Pacific, DFK Oswin Griffiths, Ramwall Homes and Logical Systems as other sponsors.
Since its launch in 2010, the Foundation has completed five medical missions to Fiji, providing a variety of much needed medical and surgical services to the value of approximately $ 1.4 million and at a direct financial cost of only $78,000. Founded on voluntary service and donation of equipment and medicines, every dollar raised has gone to provide about $18 worth of services and equipment to the poor in Fiji.
FOFHF is a New Zealand registered Charitable Trust chaired by Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Sunil Pillay. Its trustees are largely medical specialists from Fiji who live and practice in New Zealand, complemented by a number of non-medical New Zealand resident professionals.
In its first full year of operations, the Foundation’s largest mission saw an Obstetrics and Gynaecology team perform 61 mostly major procedures and over 150 specialist consultations.
A Medical team simultaneously undertook over 300 outpatient clinics, 89 endoscopic and 10 colonoscopy procedures. The team also provided teaching opportunities and relief for local medical staff for two weeks.
This fist mission confirmed the view of the trustees that FOFHF could successfully complement the Fijian health system by providing specialist services that would not easily be available to the poor in Fiji.
The success of the first mission has seen several other missions successfully concluded in the first year of operations. Two smaller missions have provided general surgical services, accident and emergency clinics, outpatient clinics, and student tutorial sessions.
Another mission reintroduced endoscopy to the Fiji health System.
An endoscopic tower was donated to Fiji and training sessions provided to enable its use by Fiji based specialists. This was a significant breakthrough as the team also conducted postgraduate teaching sessions in partnership with the Fiji School of Medicine.
What started as an interest in putting something back into the country of their birth by a number of Fiji-Indian New Zealanders has developed into a significant programme of work for the Foundation.
Several missions are under implementation, including an obstetrics and gynaecology Team travelling in June 2012, a medical team later in the year and a general surgical team in October. These projects are sanctioned by the Fijian Health Authorities.
These missions have been possible only due to the generous support of many New Zealand suppliers of medicines and equipment, hospitals and volunteers.
In addition, all the funds have been raised through donations and events.
Photo Caption:
File Photo of Rajiv Kumar Sundarjee, winner of an Air Pacific return ticket to Fiji with Dr Sunil Pillay (right) at Maungakiekie Golf Club on March 20, 2011. Picture for Indian Newslink by Bhavnesh Soni ©
