Free heart surgeries bring global specialists to Fiji

Children from Fiji and across the Pacific are receiving free life-saving heart surgery as an international team of cardiac specialists joins the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Hospital in Fiji for its latest surgical mission.

The team is led by paediatric cardiac surgeon Professor Laszlo Kiraly from the National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore, supported by specialist paediatric intensive care unit nurses from Australia and interventional cardiologist Dr Paramvir Singh from Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital in India.

They are working alongside the Sanjeevani medical team, including doctors and nurses from Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services, to provide cardiac interventions while strengthening regional healthcare capacity.

Hospital director and chief executive officer Dr Krupali Tappoo said the international collaboration was helping ensure children could access critical treatment regardless of their families’ financial circumstances.

"The arrival of this highly skilled team from Singapore, Australia, and India is a powerful testament to the impact of global medical collaboration," said Dr. Krupali Tappoo, Hospital Director and CEO.

She further added that "Every procedure represents a young life reclaimed and a family relieved of an impossible burden. Our shared commitment ensures that no child is ever denied life-saving heart care due to financial circumstances."

The hospital said it had conducted 470 successful paediatric heart surgeries, 56,690 free child heart screenings and 85,487 medical consultations in Fiji to date.

The latest mission continues the hospital’s programme of providing free paediatric cardiac care to children from Fiji and the wider Pacific.