Sumintra Sundar was one of 25 patients who recently benefited from a successful laser treatment for kidney stones at Labasa Hospital. The treatment, which took place over a week, was provided by a team from Friends of Fiji Health (FOFH) based in New Zealand.
The 60-year-old resident of Waidamudamu, Labasa, had been struggling with kidney stones since 2017. She had been awaiting treatment from an overseas medical team, as laser procedures and minimally invasive telescopic camera surgery are not available in Fijian public or private hospitals.
Previously, kidney stone surgeries in public hospitals required larger incisions, but the new technique offered at Labasa, thanks to FOFH, involves entirely internal procedures. Ms. Sundar was the first patient in Fiji to undergo this innovative treatment, performed by team leader Dr. Imran Ali.
Post-surgery, she was seen spending quality time with her grandchildren and her husband, Ram Sundar. Expressing her gratitude, Ms. Sundar said, “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 expressed pride in being able to offer this procedure to everyday Fijians, emphasizing the excitement of providing such essential medical services on behalf of FOFH. Established in July 2010, FOFH is a New Zealand-registered charity aimed at assembling teams of specialists to deliver medical care to underserved communities in Fiji. Over five days, the team conducted free operations for patients in need.