A team of medical specialists, doctors, nurses and administrative personnel representing the Auckland based Friends of Fiji Health Foundation (FFHF) left for Fiji on September 23, to provide health care services to the poor and needy in the South Pacific nation.
This is the second such mission in as many years with a majority of the members of the team offering their expertise and services free of cost.
Among the highlights of the on-going mission would be the installation of an Endoscopic Tower donated by the Auckland based Gillies Avenue Hospital (Indian Newslink, June 1, 2011) in Lautoka Hospital.
Lautoka Hospital Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialist Dr Gyaneshwar had requested FFHF last year for endoscopic equipment to re-establish laparoscopic capability and train staff to independently provide the requisite procedure.
FFHF Chairman Dr Sunil Pillay, who is leading the delegation, said that the team would focus on developing laparoscopic surgical skills for selected gynaecological surgeons at Lautoka Hospital.
“New Zealand based medical specialists and nurses will undertake a number of gynaecological operations in Fiji, in addition to providing training opportunities for local surgeons and medical staff,” he said.
“We will conduct a two-day postgraduate seminar sponsored by the Dean of the Fiji School of Medicine on aspects of laparoscopic surgery for 25 doctors in Lautoka. Training local staff in new procedures is one of the key principles of FFHF to enable medical practitioners in Fiji to become self-reliant and independent.”
Dr Pillay had told this newspaper in an earlier interview that endoscopy equipment cost up to $140,000, which was beyond Fiji’s affordability.
This donation would help the Foundation to foster its objective of bringing quality care and appropriate medical equipment to the needy in Fiji, he had said.
“Minimal access surgery would allow day-stay surgery, quicker recovery, earlier to work and family, less pain, less scar and less occupation of hospital beds. Initially, the type of surgery would be diagnostic and simple sterilisation. Depending on the need, we could perform more invasive surgery later,” Dr Pillay said.
All projects of FFHF are provided by volunteers and funded through donations.