A team of 14 specialists from the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) and the National University Hospital (NUH) recently completed their third Heart to Heart Mission in Suva, Fiji. Over six days, the team performed 14 complex surgeries at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Hospital Fiji (SSSSCHF), including the country’s first open mitral valvotomy for rheumatic heart disease. This initiative is part of a broader effort to provide essential healthcare to underprivileged communities and support local health systems through skill transfer and training.
Each year, more than 2,700 children in Fiji and the Pacific islands are born with congenital heart disease, a condition that can be fatal without timely intervention. With no local paediatric cardiac services, families often face the prohibitive cost of seeking treatment abroad. The Heart to Heart Mission aims to bridge this gap by offering life-saving surgeries and fostering professional growth and innovation between institutions.
On 9 May 2025, NUH and SSSSCHF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support annual paediatric cardiac surgical missions. This partnership will not only continue to provide critical surgeries but also facilitate shared learning and professional development. “Such missions enable us to share our expertise with local doctors and nurses,” said Associate Professor Laszlo Kiraly, who leads the mission.
The collaboration will also see medical staff from SSSSCHF visiting Singapore for training, enhancing their skills and knowledge. Professor Aymeric Lim, CEO of NUH, highlighted the partnership’s role in improving health outcomes for underprivileged communities and building regional health security.
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