Lack of essential medical supplies affects surgeries at the cath lab

It is challenging to be completely self-sufficient when operating in Fiji due to ongoing shortages of essential medical supplies — including basic items such as surgical gowns, swabs, and sponges.

Speaking to fijivillage News, the Chairperson of the Pacific Islands Pacemaker Services and Cardiac Physiologist Fiona Riddell says the volunteer medical team currently working at the cath lab at CWM Hospital is facing significant difficulties sourcing critical surgical supplies required for pacemaker implantation.

Riddell, who has been volunteering in Fiji for over 25 years, says she has witnessed a steady decline in healthcare services in Suva. She says the local staff do very well with the limited resources they have, but there is only so much that can be done within the constraints of these facilities.

Riddell says the volunteer team has been implanting around 40 pacemakers annually and has trained the local medical team, who now can implant up to 20 pacemakers per year.

She says these numbers still do not meet the country's needs and urges the Ministry of Health to step in and purchase the next batch of pacemakers to meet the rising demand.

Riddell also highlighted the necessity of follow-up care, which is essential to prolonging patients' lives and she says this process requires specialist equipment that is brought into the country by the visiting medical teams.

The Pacific Islands Pacemaker Services team includes approximately 20 medical professionals, including doctors, cardiac nurses, and physiologists.

Currently, seven members of the team are in Fiji, providing surgical and pacemaker services throughout the week.

We have sent questions to the Minister for Health, Dr Atonio Lalabavu, regarding the concern raised by Riddell. He has yet to respond.