Sai Prema Foundation executive Namrata Tappoo says 232 heart surgeries have so far been performed on children of Fiji and the Pacific region by world renowned surgeons, free of charge.
Tappoo said 159 surgeries have taken place at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital in Nasese while 79 surgeries took place at the CWM Hospital in Suva before the establishment of the facility.
Just this month, 18 surgeries were conducted by a 23-member team from the Singapore National University Hospital which was supported by ICU nurses from Australia.
“Over 300 were screened in May and June and 18 were selected for the surgery.”
“A pediatrician went to screen the children in the neighbouring Pacific countries and identified cases there.”
“Some children were very sickly and needed immediate surgeries and were brought here.”
“The surgeries began on 3 July and ended on 14 July. Nine children were from Fiji, six from the Solomon Islands, one from PNG, Vanuatu and Tuvalu.”
Tappoo added that a 23-member team spearheaded by a head surgeon from the Queensland Children’s Hospital will arrive in Fiji in September to conduct more surgeries.
