Two Fijians in their 50s have become part of Aspen Medical Fiji’s latest biggest achievement yet after undergoing successful open heart surgeries at the Lautoka Hospital.

The surgeries were described as a milestone by Aspen Medical Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Annette Owttrim.

Both surgeries were known as the off-pump coronary bypass surgery or beating heart coronary bypass surgery.

The first patient underwent the surgery on Tuesday while the second patient’s surgery was completed yesterday, both at the hospital’s dedicated Cardiothoracic Intensive CareUnit.

The first patient is expected to be discharged next week.

The open heart surgery will be permanent service at the Lautoka Hospital.

Ms Owttrim said a patient’s wellbeing and care were paramount to Aspen Medical.

“We have spent a lot of time preparing and planing for this surgery.”

“This is from sourcing the right equipment, having the right people on board and meeting all the necessities to ensure that we have patient safety and this has  obviously taken time.”

“While we have faced some setbacks due to COVID-19, which have resulted in some of the delays in the operations, I am content that we can give the people of Fiji the best service available internationally right here in Fiji at their very own Lautoka Hospital.”

She said the surgeries were led by a team of 20 specialists from India.

“So they’re specialists, nurses, doctors. They have all come from India. We brought an entire team because heart surgery is incredibly complex,” she said.

Contribute To economy

Aspen Medical Group’s chief executive officer, Bruce Armstrong, said this was not only going to improve the health outcomes for all Fijians but would also contribute to the economy.

This is by way of jobs and support for investment opportunities like construction and tourism.

Mr Armstrong said Fijians who may have previously thought about going overseas for medical procedures could now easily get the same standards at home.

He thanked all Fijians for their patience and understanding.

“Our primary goal has and will continue to be the patient’s safety and positive outcomes as we rollout more world-class health care services for the people of Fiji,” he said.

He congratulated Ms Owttrim and her team for their positive, professional and enthusiastic approach to the changes required in delivering a new era of international standard of health care for Fijians.

Proud Day for Fijians

Fiji National Provident Fund’s board chairman, Daksesh Patel, said it was a proud day for all Fijians.

“The ultimate beneficiary of this great project, which FNPF participated with Aspen Medical of Australia will bring tremendous benefit to the people of Fiji who have not had these medical services otherwise provided to them on a permanent basis,” said Mr Patel.

“The real outcome is today in front of us and I can’t be happier for the needy patients who got the treatment today.”

MIOT’s cardiac head of department, Dr Robert Coecho, highlighted that the advantages of the off-pump coronary bypass surgery ensured a quick recovery for the patient, less blood transfusions and less hospital stay.

The Facility

Ms Owttrim said the facilities at the Lautoka Hospital were a replica that anyone would come across in any accredited international hospital around the world.

She said the facilities in the operating theatre ranged from state- of-the-art equipment that puts the patient to sleep to the surgical equipment that is used to allow the surgeons to visualise inside and outside of the heart while under- taking the surgery.

“We also have a heart-lung machine if we need to use it but the expertise of the staff and the surgeons that we have here today has meant that they have gone beyond what is sometimes the standard which is to put someone on a heart- lung machine to stop your heart pumping whilst the surgery is conducted,” she said.

“There are very few specialists in the world who can do what has been conducted here.

“The surgery was completed on a pumping heart so your heart is still going and then the impact of that cannot be understated for the patients because it reduces the risk significantly.”

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