NEW ZEALAND still Big Brother! - Thank you

$2 million saves 100 hearts

CLOSE to 100 cardiac patients have undergone life-saving medical procedures performed by skilled professionals from New Zealand over the past two weeks at the Lautoka Hospital and Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva.

The Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation has in that period completed 23 open heart surgeries, installed 25 pacemakers, conducted 37 angiograms and performed 12 intricate stent procedures.

The total cost of ferrying equipment, performing surgical procedures and providing essential medication is valued at over $2million.

Luckily for heart patients in the Western and Northern divisions, the complex surgical procedures and medication provided were done at no cost, courtesy of FOFH, generous New Zealand donors, Air Pacific, Air New Zealand, FIJI Water and medical suppliers in New Zealand.

Kirit Patel, a trustee of the foundation, said a team of 60 was brought in to perform surgery not normally conducted in the country.

"We had a team of seven at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital that conducted angiograms and stent procedures and the remainder were involved at the Lautoka Hospital in open heart surgery, pre-op, post-op and recovery. The complexities of heart surgery required such a big team and they were led by Doctor Parma Nand, the only local heart surgeon who is also renowned in New Zealand," he said.

Mr Patel also acknowledged Vodafone for supplying the team with 30 cellphones, talk-time and mobile internet equipment which allowed the team to communicate effectively to co-ordinate surgical procedures.

The Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation is managed by a group of nine former Fiji residents who reside in New Zealand. Mr Patel said the purpose of setting up the foundation was to assist low-income earners, those unable to afford heart surgery under normal circumstances.

The medical team is scheduled to return to New Zealand on Sunday.