No specialist for lupus

I READ with immense sadness and grave concern Fiji has no specialist to detect this deadly disease, lupus (FT Tuesday, April 20, 2021).

Two Nadi family friends lost their beloved daughters to lupus.

Several beautiful young children are today without their loving mother.

I rest my further comments out of sheer respect for the deceased.

Fiji does not need to continue on its present path disregarding or totally overlooking the dire need for at least one lupus specialist, that is, a rheumatologist.

Spontaneously, Fiji must bring in a lupus specialist from overseas under generous sponsorship on special short-term screening assignment on a quarterly basis.

Fiji is graced with many generous sponsors.

Make such sponsorship tax deductible.

There are generous hoteliers who can provide short-term accommodation.

Furthermore, our health educators and medical fraternity must immediately begin a search to identify six potentially-worthy medical students to be professionally trained and adequately remunerated under scholarship.

Stringent monitoring of their performances is paramount. Upon graduation two each must be posted to Labasa, Lautoka and CWMH. Remote maritime centres and isolated communities must be visited every three months for screening.

The needy must be medivac’d accordingly for specialist treatment.

I share my views with utmost respect, care and concern.

To conclude, I must thank all doctors, nurses and support staff who strive real hard caring for patients in dire need and extenuating circumstances, under challenging conditions with bare minimum equipment and resources, keeping such patients as comfortable as possible.

God bless you, your work and your families.

RONNIE CHANG Martintar, Nadi