Govt offers free surgeries for villagers in Tailevu
AGovernment-funded initiative is ensuring that more than 100 people in the Tailevu medical subdivision have access to free surgeries. The four-day outreach is being carried out at Korovou Hospital and ends today.
Surgical outreach co-ordinator Sarafina Turaga said, “The main aim is to bring the surgical outreach to those who are far away from the main hospitals, those who do not have easy access to hospitals and patients who have been on our lists and have been waiting for a number of years.
“The turnout since Tuesday has been quite good, where we treated 16 cases for hernias, lumps and bumps.
“On Wednesday we had about 20 cases and since then it has been building up.”
The surgical outreach team consists of health specialists from Suva’s Colonial War Memorial Hospital.
For 40-year-old patient Latileta Nainiwasa of Sawakasa Village, it was an opportunity not to miss.
“I have had this bump on my knee for about five years now and then just last week our health centre doctor encouraged me to give my name in to be part of this surgery outreach,” she said. “I feel way better now knowing that I have had my surgery and am recovering well now.”
Ms Nainiwasa said with the free service and initiative of helping communities, people were urged to take advantage of the opportunity.
“It did not cost me a cent to have this surgery, except for paying my bus fare from my village to come here to Korovou,” she said.
“I think people should really consider this opportunity because they have made it easier by coming closer to us to help us with our sicknesses.”