Aspen Medical-managed Lautoka Hospital in Fiji surpasses 1,000 cardiothoracic and cardiac procedures

The Aspen Medical-managed Lautoka Hospital has surpassed 1000 cardiothoracic and cardiac procedures on Friday 20 February 2026, marking a historic milestone for specialised healthcare services in Fiji.
The milestone is the result of significant investment by Aspen Medical in cardiac procedures, infrastructure and specialised capability over the past three years. 

The Lautoka Hospital team performed the first free, permanent and ongoing open-heart surgery in the Fijian public health system in October 2022. This was followed by the first cardiac stenting (PCI) in November 2025 at the new Cardiac Catheterisation Lab, marking a significant advancement in local cardiac care. The Cath Lab has enabled interventional cardiology procedures, such as coronary angiograms and angioplasty, to be performed locally for the first time at scale. In January 2026, the cardiac team achieved another milestone with the first Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) guided stenting.

Aspen Medical Consultant Cardiologist Dr Bharatvansh Bali said crossing the 1000 patient mark means that more Fijians can access high-quality cardiac care right here at home.

“This is a proud moment for Lautoka Hospital and for Fiji as a whole as it demonstrates the capability, commitment, and expertise of our clinical teams, most importantly, it means that more Fijians can access high-quality free cardiac care right here at home,” he said.

Head of Internal Medicine Dr Simione Voceduadua reflected on how far cardiac services have progressed.

“When I joined in 1999 as a medical registrar, we only had electrocardiograms (ECGs), cardiac enzyme testing, exercise tests, followed by echocardiograms and a medical report recommending overseas treatment, unfortunately, this still exists in some parts of our health system,” he said.

“I believe Lautoka Hospital is here to support our clinical colleagues across Fiji through the advanced cardiac services that we now have.

“The stories we share indicate that we have achieved so much within a short period of time.”

ENDS