A grateful grandmother, Amla Wati, has expressed her immense gratitude to the Friends of Fiji Health charitable organization from New Zealand after undergoing a successful operation on Wednesday.
Friends of Fiji Health, a group comprised of doctors, nurses, and support staff, has been addressing complex medical cases at the Labasa Divisional Hospital since last Friday.
Sixty-two-year-old Ms. Wati, from Korovatu in Labasa, had her gallbladder stone removed at the hospital.
“I had been in pain for two months, and the news that an overseas team of medical experts would be performing operations gave me hope,” Ms. Wati said. “Although I was scared about the operation, I am thankful to the team for their gentle and friendly care. The overseas team, along with local surgeons, did an excellent job, and I feel healthy again.”
Following a two-hour surgery, Ms. Wati is now recovering in the hospital.
“I am eager to share with my community how these wonderful doctors and others have transformed my life medically,” she added. “Such operations can be costly at my age, and I am grateful that this service was provided free of charge.”
Labasa Hospital Board of Visitors chairperson, Hazeem Hussein, commended the team for their selfless contribution. “Any operation that alleviates people’s pain is a noble act,” he said. Mr. Hussein acknowledged the medical team’s dedication to assisting patients with complex surgeries and operations.
The team is scheduled to return to New Zealand this week, but Mr. Hussein is hopeful for more visits from them in the future.