“Boosting Fiji’s Medical Tourism: A Call to Action”

The founder and CEO of PSH Hospitals, Parvish Kumar, has emphasized the necessity for intensified support from the Fijian government to advance the country’s medical tourism sector. Addressing the Nadi Chamber of Commerce Business Forum 2025, Kumar urged for the introduction of tax incentives for hospitals, more straightforward visa procedures, and a collaborative relationship between public and private health entities.

Kumar highlighted that Fiji’s healthcare system is encountering significant pressure, particularly from Non-Communicable Diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Public hospitals are facing strains, leading many Fijians to seek medical treatment overseas, which results in a considerable financial outflow. Although local healthcare has seen improvements, including advanced surgeries offered at PSH Hospitals, the desire for treatment abroad remains strong among locals.

PSH Hospitals is currently accommodating both local and international patients from countries like the USA, Australia, Italy, and Germany. Kumar pointed out that enhancing medical tourism would not only facilitate revenue retention within Fiji but also create new job opportunities. He advocated for increased budget allocations to empower local healthcare providers and charities offering free medical services.

At the forum, Kumar also launched the PSH Foundation, which is dedicated to funding free cardiac and neurological surgeries for underprivileged patients in Fiji. He asserted that investing in the healthcare sector is critical for economic prosperity and called upon both the government and private sectors to prioritize the health and well-being of Fijians to strengthen the economy.

Building on prior discussions about the government’s commitment to developing health tourism, Kumar’s call to action resonates with earlier suggestions made in public forums about decreasing costs and improving healthcare access through incentives and support. The growth of medical tourism not only has the potential to boost Fiji’s economy but also promises to enhance essential services for residents and visitors alike, leading to an optimistic future for the nation’s healthcare system.

Overall, the initiative to strengthen medical tourism underscores a collective effort to build a resilient healthcare framework in Fiji, highlighting the critical interplay between health and economic development.