16 successful free heart surgeries have been conducted by a group of surgeons from Australia, New Zealand and the United States at the CWM Hospital in Suva.
Open Heart International Fiji Coordinator Melanie Windus says the organisation has been bringing surgical teams to the Pacific since 1991.
Windus say the surgeries have proven to be beneficial for Fijians.
“I can say people who were unwell who were sick, who couldn’t walk very far, we’re getting very breathless now have a new lease of life and can do things that they previously couldn’t do.”
Surgeon Jayme Bennetts says the success of the surgeries is attributed to the team’s collective efforts.
“We enjoy being together, get a chance to do things in a different way we used to and it makes it more fun and most importantly makes everybody appreciate the sort of accesses that exist in the system which we have at home.”
Meanwhile, these surgeries have been conducted under the partnership of Open Heart International in conjunction with the Health Ministry.
