Pacific Specialists Healthcare recently introduced Pill Cams, also known as Capsule Endoscopy, leading the hospital to order more units to ensure continued service.
Parvish Kumar, the director and CEO of PSH, noted that following the public announcement of the pill cam service, demand surged significantly. “We have already placed orders for more which we expect to receive within a week,” Mr. Kumar stated, emphasizing the importance of preventing any service interruption.
He explained that PSH maintains a supply of medical stocks sufficient for at least three months to avert shortages. “We are very mindful of supply chain logistics and proactively take measures to minimize disruptions,” he added. Mr. Kumar acknowledged that while they anticipated a preference for this new diagnostic technology, the actual demand exceeded their expectations, expecting only about a 4 to 5 percent increase over traditional methods.
Mr. Kumar urged the importance of the procedure for early detection of bowel cancer, especially for individuals over 65, recommending it be done every two years. “We were surprised by the high volume of patients seeking this procedure,” he remarked.
The capsule endoscopy system is a small ingestible capsule that allows doctors to visualize the entire small bowel, aiding in the diagnosis and monitoring of various digestive tract conditions. The non-invasive procedure includes swallowing a capsule equipped with a tiny camera that captures images as it naturally progresses through the digestive system.
In Nadi, PSH has reported an uptick in both tourist and local visitors seeking medical consultations and treatments. “We’ve encountered tourists presenting with serious health issues needing stabilization before being evacuated back to their countries,” Mr. Kumar shared, noting that the hospital’s round-the-clock operations and skilled medical team are attracting more patients.
Looking ahead, Mr. Kumar expressed plans to introduce additional advanced medical technologies to enhance healthcare in Fiji. “Our goal is to deliver world-class medical procedures and treatments for both Fiji and the wider Pacific Islands,” he stated, mentioning that PSH is prepared to offer open-heart surgery along with other intensive healthcare options.
He emphasized the importance of making medical procedures affordable for locals and other Pacific Islanders and is continuously exploring ways to improve healthcare financing and promote universal health coverage.