Sumintra Sundar was among 25 patients who recently benefited from successful laser kidney stone removal treatment at Labasa Hospital.
The treatment, conducted over a week, was carried out by a medical team from Friends of Fiji Health (FOFH) from New Zealand. Ms. Sundar, a 60-year-old resident of Waidamudamu, Labasa, had been living with kidney stones since 2017.
As surgery for kidney stones using laser technology and minimally invasive flexible telescopic cameras is unavailable in both public and private hospitals in Fiji, she had been waiting for this overseas medical team. Previously, surgeries in public hospitals required large incisions, whereas the advanced technique now employed at Labasa Hospital involves completely internal procedures, thanks to FOFH.
Ms. Sundar was the first individual in Fiji to undergo this innovative procedure, led by Dr. Imran Ali. Following her surgery, she was seen enjoying precious moments with her grandchildren and husband, Ram Sundar, at their home.
“I am really thankful to FOFH for carrying out my surgery successfully,” Ms. Sundar expressed. “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, a proud son of Fiji, shared in Ms. Sundar’s excitement about providing this procedure to everyday Fijians on behalf of FOFH. Established in July 2010, FOFH is a New Zealand-registered charity dedicated to assembling specialist teams to offer medical care to underserved communities in Fiji.
During their visit, the team performed free operations over five days.