Sumintra Sundar was one of the 25 patients who benefitted from a groundbreaking laser treatment for kidney stones at Labasa Hospital. This treatment was carried out by a medical team from Friends of Fiji Health (FOFH) from New Zealand over the course of a week.
The 60-year-old resident of Waidamudamu, Labasa, had been suffering from kidney stones since 2017. She had been hoping for treatment by an overseas medical team, as laser surgery and minimally invasive techniques are not available in either public or private hospitals in Fiji.
Previously, surgeries in public hospitals required larger incisions, but thanks to the efforts of FOFH, a fully internal surgery option is now accessible at Labasa. Ms. Sundar was the first patient in Fiji to undergo this innovative procedure, which was led by Dr. Imran Ali.
Following the surgery, she enjoyed quality time with her grandchildren and husband, Ram Sundar, expressing her gratitude. “I am really thankful to FOFH for successfully performing my surgery,” Ms. Sundar stated. “I was afraid that the doctors might cut me open, but I was really pleased that the procedure involved no cuts at all.”
Dr. Ali expressed his pride in being able to provide such procedures to everyday Fijians, highlighting FOFH’s commitment to improving healthcare access. Founded in July 2010, FOFH is a New Zealand registered charity dedicated to organizing teams of specialists to deliver medical treatment to underserved communities in Fiji. The team conducted these free surgeries over five days.