Fiji

The Sai Medical Unit has despatched medical goods and arranged for members to do medical service activity in overseas institutions.

Fiji is a country with a collection of several islands with most of the population in the main island of Veti Levu.

The total population of the country is 750,000.

Fiji has no Neurological Unit

The Fijians do not have a neurosurgical service or a dedicated neurologist. They have a CAT Scanner and radiologist at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva.

Over three decades, neurosurgeons from Australia have gone on a regular visit, usually once a year, to perform surgery, over a period of a week or two.

This was at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva which is the capital of the country.

For several years, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, under its Pacific Island Project, funded by Ausaid, has been sending a team once a year of a neurosurgeon, anaesthetist and either a nurse or radiologist to provide neurosurgical service at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva for a period of 2 weeks.

A second visit for a week was also provided, for more an educational purpose than as a clinical service. This visit ceased due to inadequate funding 2 years ago.

Dr K Nadana Chandran, a neurosurgeon from Canberra, took over the regular annual visit under the Pacific Island Project since 2001.

During these visits he was also able to take text books, medical and surgical supplies and instruments and donate them in the name of the Sai Medical Unit to the CWM Hospital. A link was also established with the local Sai group

During these visits it became apparent that a regular second visit was needed.

Sai Medical Unit to provide second visit

Under the auspices of the Sai Medical Unit, a plan was put through and presented to the Fiji Australia Association in Canberra.

This association has kindly come forward to provide total assistance for this trip in the form of a return airfare for three members of the team and accommodation for 2 weeks for the team at the nearby hotel. Funding has been promised for three years. This will provide neurosurgical service for two weeks, with a neurosurgeon, an anaesthetist and a theatre nurse in the team.

Fiji 2007-2008

During 2007, a two week medical camp was provided to Fiji with over 40 medical and allied personnel participating. Volunteers from Australia, New Zealand and the USA participated and provided free medical care. You may read more details on the 2007 Fiji Medical Camp web page.

During July of 2008, a one week medical camp will be conducted between 11-18 July, 2008. This will be preceeded by a one day symposium-conference on Medical Care on 11 July. You can read about the 2008 Medical Camp. You can read about the 2008 Sai Medical Conference, Fiji.

Sri Lanka

Tsunami Aid and Recovery Service

The Sathya Sai Baba Organisation has centers in 157 countries world-wide. For administrative purposes, the Organisation is divided into worldwide zones and has regions in those zones. Sri Lanka falls into the same zone as Australia. International relief for the 26 December Tsunami and subsequent earthquakes in the region has followed the Relief Response Pathway. This pathway has three stages, incorporating but not limited to:- immediate aid and assessment; recovery aid, and long term rehabilitation and recovery service.

The Sai Medical Unit has coordinated and despatched medical supplies to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Medical Camps
Joint UK-Australia Sai Medical Camps

NORTHERN SRI LANKA (AT DR PONNAPALAM MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN PUTHUKUDYIRUPPU / MULLAITHIVU)

The overland journey to our destination took 12hrs. Every box, equipment and suitcases taken by us was examined by the Sri Lankan security at the border crossing.

At the hospital we were provided with very good accommodation which had air conditioning and fans. All meals were provided and served. Laundry facilities were also provided. We were looked after very well and had always security transport and other help available on the spot.

Our work started with a clinic on 14 March morning. Several orthopaedic and neurological cases were seen and patients selected for surgery. Our nurses were asked to sort out and classify the various medical supplies and orthopaedic and surgical instruments that we had brought and to appraise them as well as liaise with the nurses in the theatres.

The hospital had two well air-conditioned theatres, one dedicated for eye surgery and the other for our use.

The medical team also included Dr K Puvanachandra, who was the leader of the large UK ophthalmology group and was in charge of organising the island wide eye work at five medical camps. His team in our area included Dr Vasuki Sivagnanvel from the UK, Dr Chandra Kumar and Dr Shivantha, eye surgeons from Sri Lanka. Dr Mrs Puvanachandra also assisted them.

Dr Velayuthapillai from the UK was the anaesthetist initially and two days later he was replaced by Dr Kamala Arunachalam from the UK who gave the anaesthetic services for the Australian team.

Besides consulting and doing three operations, we were able to visit three rehabilitation centres for paraplegics and neurologically injured people. Prescriptions were given for specific medications, some of which we had taken with us, for the management of pain and spasticity in these people.

Eye Camps

The Eye Camp was led by Dr K Puvanachandra and the UK group. In our area alone 139 cataract and 6 other eye operations were done. The theatres ran sometimes till 11.00pm. The eye clinics ran from 8.00am to 11.00pm. The UK team supplied all the lenses and other provisions and glasses needed for their work.

Over 3000 patients including many school children were seen and several hundred glasses were given free. It is believed from the initial figures for the whole island that over 600 cataract operations and nearly 10,000 consultations were offered in the 5 eye camps held in the island. Col. Jayantha Jayasinghe, the Sri Lankan National Service Coordinator, assisted with administrative support. With such a big undertaking some logistic and communication issues are bound to arise, but were soon sorted out.

Prashanti Nilayam

Service at the General Hospital, Prashanti Nilayam

Physicians have an opportunity to provide medical services on a continuous basis at the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital in Prashanti Nilayam commencing from June of this 2006. Instead of providing medical services only on festival occasions, service opportunities are available all the year round except the months of March, April, and May.

Further information and forms may be obtained from Dr Gunu Naker. See the contact page to contact Dr Naker.