New Zealanders who have been waiting in the queue for delicate surgical procedures like large brain tumour removal, spinal cord decompression and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) can now travel to Fiji and get treated at a fraction of the cost they would pay back at home.
Fiji’s largest state-of-the-art 130-bed specialty private hospital – Pacific Specialist Healthcare (PSH Hospitals) which is strategically located opposite the Nadi International Airport and surrounded by a range of hotels and resorts is ready to extend these complex medical services to the people of New Zealand.
“We have the right facilities and highly trained and experienced specialists to take care of patients from New Zealand as part of our broader initiative to promote Fiji as the medical tourism hub of the Pacific and also support the vision of the Blue Pacific continent,” PSH Hospitals founder and chief executive officer Parvish Kumar said.
"Our award-winning neurosurgeon Dr Alan Biribo is renowned across the Pacific for his achievements and has spent years devoted to championing health outcomes for Fijians," Mr Kumar added.
"Last year Dr Biribo was recognised at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) 2024 Annual Scientific Congress, where he received the President's Medal in addition to presenting the Rowan Nicks Scholarship Lecture in Wellington, New Zealand.
"A long-time friend of the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA), Dr Biribo has been a dedicated force for the Fijian health sector.
"In addition to his tireless work in neurological care and surgery for Fiji, his regional experience includes deployments leading neurological visiting medical teams to other Pacific countries via the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS) – which is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and delivered by the PMA.
“In a milestone and unprecedented achievement, our neurosurgical team led by Dr Alan Biribo recently removed a large sphenoid wing meningioma (significant sized brain tumour) from a patient’s brain and that too in a record time unheard of before in Fiji and the greater Pacific community.”
Mr Kumar said apart from the highly trained team, the successful operation was also attributed to the procurement and commissioning of an ultrasonic neuro aspirator which was a ten-year-old dream come true for PSH Hospitals.
He said the new technology was crucial to the success of the operation. It enabled the team to remove the tumour quickly and safely by minimizing blood loss which is a common challenge with these vascular tumours and by clearly outlining important blood vessels, it prevents complications like strokes during the procedure.
“Dr Biribo has also carried out numerous neuro-spine surgeries at PSH Hospitals and our neighbours from New Zealand can be rest assured that they will be in good hands when getting treated here.”
Mr Kumar said apart from neurosurgery, PSH Hospitals has been recently making global headlines for achieving unprecedented medical milestones with the commissioning of a world-class cardiology department that has a state-of-the-art catheterization (cath) lab and operating theatre.
“Since November last year, our award-winning cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Sanjeev Kumar Khulbey has been carrying out coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures ranging from double to quadruple graft heart bypass surgeries," Mr Kumar said.
Dr Sanjeev Kumar Khulbey is an award-winning and internationally renowned cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon now based at PSH Hospitals in Nadi, Fiji. He specializes in treating various heart conditions, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, and congenital heart defects. Dr. Khulbey also performs various surgical procedures, including bypass surgery, valve replacement, and minimally invasive cardiac surgery. His expertise also extends to a wide range of cardiothoracic and vascular conditions.
“With 30-years of experience up his sleeves as a cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Khulbey is now based full-time at PSH Hospitals in Nadi,” Mr Kumar said.
“One of his greatest achievements at PSH Hospitals has been carrying out a quadruple graft heart bypass surgery on a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation member who was treated with minimal blood loss and without a single drop of blood transfusion due to her religious beliefs.”
Mr Kumar said New Zealanders can be rest assured that when they walk into PSH Hospitals, they will receive services that are second to none and on par with what they would receive in their country.
“The only difference here at PSH Hospitals will be that patients from New Zealand will get treated for only a fraction of the cost they would incur in their home country and they will get to enjoy the beauty of Fiji and experience the hospitality of our tourism industry as well.”
By: Shalendra Prasad
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