Successful heart surgeries gift life for brave children

Three young children, including one from Tonga, were discharged on Monday after undergoing successful heart surgeries at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Hospital in Suva.

Nine-year-old Meri Guivalu from Wainunu, Bua, was one of them. She had her surgery on October 17, accompanied by her grandmother, Ana Guivalu.

Ana said Meri’s condition was discovered during a school health check-up at Nakawakawa Primary School, where medical teams visit students for early detection.

“I’m really happy about the success of my granddaughter’s surgery,” she said. “Parents should make use of these free medical check-ups and surgeries for their children.”

Ten-year-old Penisimani Tukia travelled all the way from Tonga with his mother, Ilaisaane Taumoepenu, for his heart surgery, also performed on October 17. She said they were grateful for the hospitality and care received in Fiji.

“The hospital is clean, the nurses are kind, and the doctors took great care of our children,” she said. “I encourage parents to be strong and to trust the process. This surgery gave my son a second chance at life.”

The third patient, eight-year-old Guston, had his surgery on October 15 and has now fully recovered. During the small celebration yesterday, Bhauna Sharma, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Unit Head for Finance and Administration, praised the courage of the children and the dedication of the hospital staff.

“As a parent myself, I understand the fear when a child’s health is at risk,” Ms Sharma said. “The most precious gift is the gift of life, and today we witness that miracle in action.”

Australian diplomat Emmeline Cammack also commended the partnership between Fiji and Australia in providing life-saving surgeries.

“This collaboration shows the strong people-to-people ties between our two countries,” she said.

German Ambassador to Fiji, Dr Andreas Prothmann, congratulated the children, parents, and medical teams for their efforts.

“This is a day of great joy,” he said. “You have brightened the lives of these little ones and given them the greatest gift,  the gift of life.”

The Sai Prema Foundation continues to offer free heart surgeries for children from Fiji and across the Pacific, ensuring that distance and cost do not stand in the way of saving young lives.