By Katalina Siasau

A team of 48 specialists who volunteered from Open Heart International (OHI) to return to Tonga this month for their biannual operations, have successfully performed 22 surgeries, after a four years pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic interrupted our plans, but we were very keen to reconnect and continue the commitment that we have to the hospital and Tonga”, said OHI project coordinator Julie Hulston, in an interview with Matangi Tonga, on  September 23, as the team was winding-up their successful tour.

They came to Tonga bringing most of the equipment and specialised medical teams required.

Julie said a multi-disciplinary team for this type of surgery was very much needed. Their team included specialist staff for an intensive care ward, a physiotherapist and clinicians to look after their heart lung machine. They also had a previous patient, who assisted as a photographer and media person.

“We spent a lot of time in the clinic assessing and diagnosing, confirming diagnosis with patients, and then a week of adult surgery, and then we did the same again for paediatrics, provided recommendations for surgery, and then we operated on those surgical candidates.”

The youngest patient they operated on was 10 years old, and the oldest was 48 years. The 22 cases included 13 adults and 9 paediatrics (children and young adults).

The most common cases requiring treatment was due to rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Fewer cases

However, Julie said that the 22 cases this year, is a lesser number compared to OHI's previous operations in Tonga.

They had yet to confirm the reason for that decline in the numbers of patients.

“We are not sure why there’s less patients this year," she said, but this might be related to the covid pandemic and its restrictions.

OHI understood that Tongan patients had difficulties in getting to the clinic or the hospitals, especially those living in rural areas and those in outer islands.

Freight challenges

OHI brought most of the equipments they needed, including a heart lung machine, and equipment for the operating theatre.

“Because of the impacts of the pandemic, we tried to negotiate bringing our equipments by air freight, even though we preferred to do a mixture of air and sea but this time we did everything by air because of the limitations and the time factor.”

There was a lot of planning with the freight, said Julie.

OHI commitment and Tonga relationship 

OHI follows a biannual cycle of operation in Tonga. In the meantime, they want to have a permanent footprint in the calendar of the hospital, where they’ll come every two years to do surgery, but they also plan to come back every year, to assess and see patients.

Their current memorandum of understanding (MoU) is in place until the end of June next year.

“The hospital is more ready and more organised for OHI. Compared to other projects, it's obvious how knowledgeable and committed Tonga is to OHI.”

Julie said the OHI operation manager is talking to the Minister of Health Dr Saia Piukala about expanding their services, to include diabetes management, cholesterol diet, exercise, and other health measures.

Julie said the loss of Paediatric Specialist Dr Toakase Fakakovikaetau who passed away in July, impacted not just Tonga but OHI as well. "She was instrumental in supporting the OHI project. As part of her legacy, OHI will continue and provide help for both adults and children."