A team of around 50 medical staff from different countries, including Australia and New Zealand, will volunteer their services to treat Tongans with heart conditions at Vaiola Hospital from 3 to 21 September.

The Open Heart International Team, who visit Tonga every two years, include doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and anesthetists who will work side by side with local medical staff. The team volunteer their time, resources, fund their own expenses, and also bring in their own medical equipment and supplies.

Vaiola Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Lisiate ‘Ulufonua said they are very grateful to the medical volunteers and have organized a Tongan taskforce to prepare for the team’s visit. This includes assessing patients (from all over Tonga) with heart conditions and recommending those who need treatment by the team.

“We have a lot of work to do before the team arrives to ensure they can start working seamlessly without any issues,” he said.

Head of Paediatric at Vaiola Hospital, Dr Siaosi ‘Aho, said the patients who are treated suffer from either congenital heart defect or rheumatic fever (mofi hui).

“The majority of patients in Tonga suffer from rheumatic fever.”

He said in the Paediatric Department, around 13 to 15 children are selected for treatment by the Open-Heart team every time they visit Tonga.

“Children who need urgent treatment and can’t wait for the team are referred for treatment overseas.”

He added that it is really good to have problem cases sorted by the team.

“Some cases are very challenging. Tonga is quite isolated and we are often referred to as practicing under a coconut tree, which highlights the constraints we face including resources. But opportunities like this, when we have a visiting team of that caliber with the expertise, skills, and resources suddenly sitting on your front yard, you can’t help but get excited,” he said.

Dr Loutoa Poese, a Physician at Vaiola Hospital, said they normally examine between 60 to 80 adults before selecting patients who need to undergo treatment by the team. During the team’s last visit in 2017, she said they operated on eight adults.

In total, around 20 to 30 patients are normally selected and referred to the Open-Heart team. The team also examines the patients and normally select around a third of patients for surgery with the remainder having examinations.

Benefits

Having a team like the Open-Heart team visit Tonga and provide their services free of charge has huge benefits, said Dr ‘Ulufonua.

“One is the transfer of knowledge between the team and the medical staff at Vaiola Hospital.”

Another is the savings for Tongan patients and their families who would normally pay thousands to be treated overseas.

“Roughly, costs range from NZD$25,000 to NZD$60,000 depending on the heart problem for surgery [overseas],” said Dr ‘Ulufonua.

“This includes hospital admissions, investigation, surgery, and post-surgery immediate follow up. Cost of travel, medical escort if needed and stay outside of the hospital is not included.”

Blood donors

One critical item needed to ensure the team can perform surgeries successfully is blood. Dr Siaosi ‘Aho said healthy Tongans can assist by visiting the hospital to donate their blood.

“We need to increase the blood bank before the team arrives and we really need blood donors.”

The Open Heart International Team have been visiting Tonga every two years since 2008 to provide critical services to the people of Tonga.