Lautoka Hospital. [Source: File Photo]

Australia based Aspen Medical will take over operations at the Lautoka Hospital by the end of May.

Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has confirmed that the health service provider is ready to begin its public private partnership where it will be in charge of the Ba hospital as well.

He adds with this new partner, Fiji will be able to offer advanced medical procedures locally.

“They’ll be able to provide open-heart surgeries. At the moment there’s nobody that can carry out open-heart surgery. No Fijian doctor is qualified to do that. A lot of people go overseas for cardiovascular issues, they (Aspen) will be able to provide that in Fiji, nobody has to overseas. People can stay with their families.”

Sayed-Khaiyum confirms the deal with Aspen is that they will also provide chemotherapy for cancer patients and build a new wing at the Lautoka Hospital for operating theatres.

These will also be used to train local surgeons.

“So our doctors can also learn, and in a few years – maybe five to seven years, we’ll have Fijian doctors who can carry out open-heart surgeries. That’s part of the thinking behind that.”

The minister has revealed that the larger plan for bringing in Aspen Medical to run the Lautoka and Ba Hospitals is to attract medical tourists from the region and entice retirement village investors who primarily look at tertiary medical services in any new market.