Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation: (FOFHF) Mission Colonial Hospital, Suva -- 2023.

The article focuses on the Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation (FOFHF), a charitable trust established in New Zealand in 2006 to provide free cardiac surgeries to underprivileged patients in Fiji who lack local access to such treatments. Each year, a volunteer medical team of 60 to 80 specialists—including cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, and nurses—travels to Fiji with over 15 tons of medical equipment to perform complex procedures such as heart valve replacements, pacemaker insertions, and coronary interventions. Patient selection involves screening over 200 individuals, with about 25 undergoing surgery during the mission, which also includes training local staff and community CPR education. The foundation’s work relies on donated resources and volunteer expertise, aiming to improve cardiac care capacity in Fiji while fostering collaboration between New Zealand and Fijian health professionals.