Fiji health specialists now based in New Zealand have come up with a plan to hold regular surgery clinics in their former homeland.
The Friends of Fiji Health Foundation hopes to team up doctors, nurses and surgeons to head back to Fiji at least twice a year to conduct operations and clinics and offer training to health professionals in Fiji.
Chairman and Auckland gynaecologist Dr Sunil Pillay says the first team of 45 volunteer doctors, gynaecologists, nurses and anaesthetists will treat up to 40 patients at Lautoka Hospital during the first two weeks of December.
"There was a request from the colleagues in Fiji of assistance. They lacked the expertise there in terms of specialist staff. That was the initial request and we thought how could we do it in an organised fashion."
Dr Pillay says about five of the volunteers are originally from Fiji and the foundation will be raising funds in New Zealand to pay for the trip.
