As part of Goundar Shipping Limited’s social obligation one of their vessels is going to transport a medical team to Lomaiviti in May this year for free medical check-ups for islanders.

More than 90 specialised medical volunteers of the Sathya Sai Service Organisation from New Zealand, Australia and Fiji will be based on board one of fleet of the GSL vessels for the Ovalau, Koro and Gau medical trip.

Specialists

“The May medical team will comprise of nurses, nurse specialists, physiotherapists, dietitians, pharmacists, podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, family medicine practitioners, gynaecologists,  physicians  including a gastroenterologist, a renal physician, an oncologist and a stroke physician,” said national services convener Hamendra Reddy.

The medical team will be in Ovalau for two days serving at Delana Primary School on May 22 and Bureta Health Centre on May 23, in Koro for one day at Nabasovi District School on May 24 and one day in Gau at Navukailagi District School on May 25.

The team will avail their services on May 20 in the Western Division at Vaturu District School at Nagado, Sabeto in Lautoka before traveling to the Lomaiviti group.

“Services offered will include: blood pressure and diabetes checks, Electrocardiography (ECGs), spirometry, blood tests for anaemia, sugar and cholesterol,” he said.

“Kidney and cardiac blood tests will also be available.

“Women will be able to have cancer check up with pap smears and breast exams and general gynecological consultations.

“The gastroenterologist will be able to do endoscopic exams via local hospital in patients with alarming symptoms.

“The eye doctors will perform eye check up and the dentists will be able to provide dental care.

“Some minor surgical procedures will also be available if the need arises.”

Social Obligation

Lomaiviti Princess fleet managing director George Goundar said the maritime people needed rehabilitation since Cyclone Winston in February, 2016, and the focus had been mainly on urban centres.

“It is time the focus moved to maritime areas, because the urban areas have always been where treatment and rehabilitation mostly taken place,” Mr Goundar said.

“This is one way of giving back to the community what they deserve as we have been their choice for their mode of travel to the islands,” he said.

He said the Lomaiviti Princess II is most likely to be the floating base for the medical team during the weeklong medical camp.

Mr Reddy said the maritime mission was made possible through the kindness of Mr Goundar.

“This current mission to maritime Fiji has only been possible due to the generosity of Mr George Goundar,” he said.

“Indeed he saw the great need in these remote islands and encouraged our group to provide health services to these three islands.  George will be providing free shipping for the medical camps.”

SSSO, Fiji together with its New Zealand and Australian counterparts has been actively involved in providing health services in collaboration with the Ministry of Health for several decades.

They have been conducting blood drives and medical camps in various parts of Fiji.

Team Composition

The team includes a Canberra neurosurgeon that has assisted in setting up a neurosurgical unit at CWM Hospital.

It also includes a visiting gastroenterologist who has been providing expert endoscopic services and training for several years.

Annual medical seminars have been held to update local health professionals and up skill them in procedures.

For the past 13 years volunteers and health professionals from NZ and Australia have conducted annual medical camps. These teams have included senior specialists.

Following the May medical camps a second series of medical camps will be held in August in Vanua Levu.

The Vanua levu camp will be made up mostly of volunteers from Australia.

The main objective of the Sai mission is to provide selfless and loving health service to those who have the poorest access to health facilities.

Mr Reddy said the medical team would be providing comprehensive specialised evaluation for patients who normally would not have these services accessible to them locally.

“The team will be able to undertake specialised investigations and will be able to initiate a management plan that may include referral to the Divisional Hospitals for further management,” he said.

“Throughout the medical camps a lot of focus will be given to primary and secondary preventative measures.

“This will include appropriate education and advice from specialist teams in disease prevention and optimal care with medications.”