Ministry of Health spent close to $1M in assisting 106 patients to access overseas treatment in 2017

The Ministry of Health has spent close to around $1m in assisting 106 patients to access overseas treatment last year.

This was highlighted by the Minister for Health and Medical Services Rosy Akbar while launching the Courts and Sports World Health and Fitness program in Suva today.

Akbar says that these treatments included patients who were in urgent need of high-risk cardiac surgeries.

The Minister for Health says that 46 patients were assisted with open heart surgery that was performed by overseas surgeons and this amounted to $265,560

Upon highlighting these figures, Akbar says that NCD’s incurs a financial burden to the individual and the Nation and she is calling on the collaboration between nations, communities, government, corporate sectors, NGO’s, health sectors and families to continue to nurture a multi-sectoral collaboration on the war against NCD’s in Fiji.

She adds that a total of 587 amputations were performed by the Ministry for last year alone.

Meanwhile, Courts and Sports World will be hosting a fun run on the 10th of February at My Suva Park and on the 17th February in Nadi.