Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says it is a huge achievement to have the ability to provide the medical service here that was previously only available overseas.

Speaking at the  launch of the Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (MIOT) Pacific Hospital last night, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said in the past “we actually have to go offshore” for many surgeries and procedures.

He thanked BSP Life and India’s MIOT Group for coming together and providing this service.

He said it was a wonderful collaboration to improve the level of medical services in Fiji.

MIOT Group will be based at the previous Suva Private Hospital, at Amy Street, Toorak, Suva, which has been acquired by BSP Life.

He said the Government had been very much focused on improving the level of tertiary health care in Fiji.

It was a wonderful collaboration to improve the level of medical services in Fiji.

He said there was no doubt that Government’s attractive incentives actually made this a reality today.

He said Fiji still required a lot more services in the medical field.

He said there were many Fijians who were deprived of services, many of those because they could not afford it.

He said many of them were not living in major cities and towns, so the need was there to reach out to those people

He said Government was providing scholarships for the medical fields.

For every doctor who worked in a public health system, the Government paid for the post-graduate studies to reach that level of specialisation that was very much critically required in Fiji

He said with MIOT coming on board “we are able to have a lot more synergy and collaboration between the public health sector and the private sector.”

He said this was very important and very critical.

He said it was Government’s view and mission, that with excellent professional medical services provided in Fiji “we can have Australians and New Zealanders coming to Fiji for procedures.”

Managing director for MIOT international, Dr Prithvi Mohandas, said MIOT would provide the best services for Fijians.

“You want the best treatment, you want the best machines, you want the best staff, you want the best service and you want the best price, and that is what we will offer Fiji,” Dr Mohandas said.

He said: “We are going to give you the diagnostic capability which is even better than Australia or New Zealand.

“We are going to give you the specialists from our post-graduate medical training, who can treat anyone in-house.”

BSP Life managing director, Fiji operations, Malakai Naiyaga, said MIOT would bring their highly skilled and experienced personnel to manage and complement the local team.

“We look forward to taking the lead in supplying private medical facilities and specialist care with a world class calibre in medical services,” Mr Naiyaga said.

The $14 million investment is expected to enhance current healthcare offerings and make a positive impact in the South Pacific region.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

Feedback: kathrin.krishna@fijisun.com.fj