Sumintra Sundar was one of 25 patients who benefitted from a groundbreaking laser treatment to eliminate kidney stones at Labasa Hospital. This innovative procedure was carried out by a medical team from Friends of Fiji Health (FOFH) from New Zealand.
The 60-year-old, a resident of Waidamudamu in Labasa, had been suffering from kidney stones since 2017. Having awaited treatment from an overseas medical team, she found that procedures involving laser technology and minimally invasive telescopic cameras were not available in any public or private hospitals in Fiji. Previously, surgeries in public hospitals required significant incisions, but thanks to FOFH, patients now have access to completely internal surgeries.
Ms. Sundar was the first patient in Fiji to undergo this new procedure, which was performed by Dr. Imran Ali, the team leader. Following her surgery, she was seen happily spending time with her grandchildren and her husband, Ram Sundar. “I am really thankful to FOFH for carrying out my surgery successfully,” expressed Ms. Sundar. She shared her initial fears about traditional surgical methods, stating how relieved she was that the procedure required no incisions at all.
Dr. Ali expressed his pride in being able to offer such advanced medical procedures to everyday Fijians on behalf of FOFH. Established in July 2010, FOFH is a registered charity from New Zealand with the mission of creating medical teams to deliver treatment to underserved communities in Fiji. The team performed free surgeries over the course of five days.