Sumintra Sundar was one of 25 patients who recently benefitted from a groundbreaking laser treatment for kidney stones at Labasa Hospital. The week-long initiative was conducted by a medical team from Friends of Fiji Health (FOFH) visiting from New Zealand.
The 60-year-old resident of Waidamudamu, Labasa, had been dealing with kidney stones since 2017. As the availability of laser treatment and minimally invasive flexible telescopic cameras for kidney stone removal is limited in both public and private hospitals in Fiji, she had been awaiting care from an overseas medical team.
Previously, surgeries in public hospitals required large incisions, but the new procedures available at Labasa Hospital, thanks to FOFH, utilize completely internal surgery techniques.
Ms. Sundar was the first patient in Fiji to undergo this procedure, which was overseen by team leader Dr. Imran Ali. Following her surgery, she was seen enjoying quality time with her grandchildren and husband, Ram Sundar. She expressed her gratitude, saying, “I am really thankful to FOFH for carrying out my surgery successfully. 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 shared his pride in offering this procedure to ordinary Fijians on behalf of FOFH, highlighting the excitement surrounding this advancement in medical care. FOFH, a New Zealand registered charity established in July 2010, aims to assemble teams of specialists to deliver medical services to underserved communities in Fiji. Over the course of five days, the team conducted free operations for the local population.