FOR the last six years, three medical teams made up of 75 people give up their time and use their expertise to help cardio patients in Fiji.
The annual mission organised by Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation cost an estimated NZ$250,000 (F$364,872) and brings 12,000kilograms of equipment, which is equivalent to one and a half containers.
Angio team leader Aleem Shah said those treatments, including pre-screening of patients annually, open heart surgery, pacemaker clinics, pacemaker insertion, angiogram and angioplasty, would cost several millions of dollars if delivered in New Zealand. Since 2006, 300 patients received pre-screening annually, 120 open heart surgeries were performed, 120 patients attended pacemaker clinics, close to 120 patients received pacemakers while 37 patients had angiogram and or angioplasty since last year.
Mr Shah said the angio team was the first comprehensive team with a bigger consignment of equipment to visit Fiji.
He said as a result, they were able to provide a wider and more complex range of treatment. Mr Shah said the angio team was the first to introduce eluting stents to Fiji last year.