Children in Fiji, who are born with congenital heart disease (CHD) can now be treated and have life-saving surgeries for free.

This is all thanks to the newly opened $25 million state-of-the-art Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital in Nasese.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama officiated at the opening of the hospital last night.

Fiji would now be the first nation in the Oceania region to have such a hospital.

Mr Bainimarama said parents would no longer have to worry about taking their children overseas for surgery.

“About 200 children are born with congenital heart disease in Fiji every year and when you consider the Pacific, the number increases to 2500 children. Most of these children born with this disease do not reach adulthood,” Mr Bainimarama said.

“That is a reality that Fijian Government was not willing to accept.”

In a video message, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, congratulated Fiji for its achievement.

Mr Modi said he was thankful to everyone who came up with the idea to build such a hospital in Fiji as a lot of children would benefit from it.

Sai Prema Foundation director, Sumeet Tappoo said they were grateful for all the support they have received.

“In two days we are bringing in a team of world-renowned surgeons and Pediatric Cardiac super-specialists from the United States and Australia who would begin operating on Fiji’s child patients.”

The occasion also marked Mr Bainimarama’s 68th birthday with a cake cutting ceremony during the opening of the new hospital.

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