More than 300 Fijians have benefited from complex heart surgeries at Lautoka Hospital, thanks to a collaboration between MIOT International of India and Health Care (Fiji) Pte Ltd, operating as Aspen Medical. This partnership has significantly enhanced cardiac care in Fiji, allowing patients to receive life-saving treatments locally without the financial and logistical burdens of traveling abroad for medical care.
Lautoka Hospital is now equipped to perform various procedures, including open-heart surgery, keyhole heart bypass surgeries, diagnostic angiograms, angioplasty, and heart vessel stenting. Dr. Prithvi Mohandas, the Chief Executive of MIOT, emphasized that this collaboration is focused on providing world-class cardiac care, which has improved local standards in heart treatment over three years.
Since the establishment of the hospital’s new Cath Lab in May 2025, nearly 400 angiograms have been conducted, and a dedicated 35-member MIOT cardiac team has treated over 700 patients. Aspen Medical, which manages Lautoka and Ba hospitals under a public-private partnership with the government, noted that this initiative is integral to strengthening Fiji’s healthcare system and enhancing local capacity.
The program’s next phase promises to expand services related to angioplasty and heart vessel stenting, while also continuing to train local medical staff. This is a promising development not just for those currently in need of cardiac care, but for the long-term health of Fiji’s population, as it represents a move towards self-sufficiency in healthcare access, ultimately enhancing patients’ quality of life.
This positive trajectory in healthcare signifies that Fiji is progressively becoming a more resilient nation, capable of providing crucial medical services locally. As the capacity for advanced healthcare continues to grow, it is hoped that this will inspire further developments in other areas of medical care across the region, ultimately benefiting many individuals in need of essential medical assistance.