This deployment was one of the latest to be carried out by PMA, under the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS), funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

Christchurch based specialist Paediatric Haematologist and Oncologist, with over twenty years of experience, Dr Siobhan Cross, shared the objectives of the visit. 

“The overall purpose of the trip to Fiji was education and ongoing fact-finding to help strengthen the treatment of child cancer in Fiji. 

“The aspirational goal is that one day they will only need us for the tricky cases and will be able to manage most things on their own. Currently we support them with a weekly teleconference. 

“We also saw patients in clinic to try and add a specific paediatric oncology 'eye' to their treatment beyond what is written down in the Pacific protocols that they follow. This is all working with the NZ National Child Cancer Network (NCCN).” 

The NZMTS has been in operation in the Pacific for over thirty years, providing life-saving opportunities through the Overseas Referral Scheme, visiting medical teams and initiatives in strengthening in-country capacity.   

Under the objective of maximising opportunities for capability building and strengthening local services, Dr Cross reflected on the importance of the deployment. 

“As well as helping individual patients while we were there, the main goal was to create a five year strategy to embed and improve services going forward with the aim being that improvements are maintained rather than coming and going."