Sumintra Sundar is one of 25 patients who recently benefitted from a groundbreaking laser treatment for kidney stones at Labasa Hospital. This week-long procedure was conducted by a medical team from Friends of Fiji Health (FOFH) from New Zealand.
The 60-year-old resident of Waidamudamu, Labasa, had been suffering from kidney stones since 2017. As kidney stone treatment through laser and minimally invasive techniques is unavailable in Fijian hospitals, she had been eagerly awaiting assistance from an overseas medical team.
Previously, surgical procedures in public hospitals required larger incisions, but the innovative techniques introduced by FOFH now allow for fully internal surgeries. Ms. Sundar became the first patient in Fiji to undergo this procedure, led by Dr. Imran Ali, the team’s leader.
Post-surgery, she was seen happily spending time with her grandchildren and husband. “I am really thankful to FOFH for carrying out my surgery successfully,” Ms. Sundar expressed. She had been concerned about the potential for invasive surgery but was relieved that her treatment involved no external cuts.
Dr. Ali, who takes pride in his Fijian heritage, shared his enthusiasm for being able to provide this advanced procedure to everyday Fijians through FOFH. Established in July 2010, FOFH is a registered charity from New Zealand that aims to assemble specialist teams to deliver medical care to underrepresented communities in Fiji. Over five days, the team performed a series of free operations.