PSH Hospitals makes medical tourism call amid NZ visa easing

While New Zealand’s easing of visa laws has been welcomed with open arms by Pacific islanders, the management of Fiji’s largest state-of-the-art 130-bed specialty private hospital is thinking of returning the favour with medical tourism incentives for New Zealanders.

Pacific Specialist Healthcare (PSH Hospitals) founder and chief executive officer Parvish Kumar who is working hard to put Fiji on the medical tourism map with a focus on the 22 Pacific Island countries including Australia and New Zealand believes the new immigration incentives released by Immigration New Zealand could not have come at a better time.

Immigration New Zealand announced that from July 6, 2025, people granted a visitor visa would be able to visit New Zealand multiple times within a 24-month period.

“While we fully welcome this latest incentive which is encouraging Pacific Islanders to travel more often and with ease to New Zealand, we at PSH Hospitals which is so strategically located right opposite the Nadi International Airport – Fiji’s gateway to the world, would like to offer something back to the people of New Zealand,” Mr Kumar said.

“New Zealand residents do not typically need a visa to enter Fiji for tourism or recreation and this is an added advantage for tourists who wish to visit for medical reasons,” Mr Kumar added.

“Similar to Australian tourists, New Zealanders can visit Fiji for up to four-months without a visa and with our state-of-the-art hospital, we can offer many world-class services to them at a fraction of the cost and with no waiting time for surgeries including open-heart procedures.”

In New Zealand, approximately 180,000 adults are currently living with heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the country, with one in three deaths attributed to it. Coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of death and disability in New Zealand.

“With our newly commissioned catheterization laboratory (cath lab) and advanced operations theatre, our highly trained cardiac team and resources are on par with the most advanced countries in the world but we can offer world-class services at a fraction of the costs compared to what rates are charged in other countries,” Mr Kumar said.

“With numerous direct flights throughout the week between New Zealand and Fiji, New Zealanders can come and enjoy a wonderful holiday in Fiji with family and friends and get treated in a conducive and friendly resort-styled environment at the same time.

“Working in line with the Fiji government’s vision to develop the medical tourism sector, PSH Hospitals is all geared up to live up the expectations of all stakeholders concerned and deliver world-class health services at the most competitive and cost-effective rates.  

“The hospital is aligned with the Fiji Government’s aspirations for promoting medical tourism to the world and we have already started taking constructive steps in that direction,” Mr Kumar added.

Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka says, the establishment and rapid expansion of PSH Hospitals exemplifies Fiji’s commitment to offering state-of-the-art facilities and advanced treatments.

“There is a need to develop Fiji’s health infrastructure to support locals and medical tourists,” Mr Gavoka said.

“Medical tourism involves traveling to another country for medical care, driven by factors such as cost-effectiveness, availability of treatments and quality of care.

“Fiji aims to emulate successful examples like India, which attracts many Fijians and Pacific Islanders annually for medical treatments. In 2022, approximately two percent of visitors engaged in health and medical activities in Fiji,” Mr Gavoka revealed.

Mr Gavoka states that the government is incentivizing private investment in healthcare through investment allowances for building, renovating, or expanding private hospitals.

“The medical investment package includes concessions and duty-free entry for certain medical machinery, encouraging investors to support the development of private healthcare facilities.”

Echoing similar sentiment, Tourism Fiji chief executive officer Brent Hill congratulated the team at PSH Hospitals for the recent medical milestones with a marathon of successful open-heart surgeries since November last year.

“On behalf of Tourism Fiji, we congratulate the team of doctors and PSH Hospitals in Nadi, on the significant milestones achieved,” Mr Hill said.

“We have no doubt the patients and their family members would be thrilled. For patients around the world, including in our neighbouring Pacific Islands, to know that this level of capability is available in Fiji is significant,” he added.

“Fiji is a place where the pre and post recovery can be done in the most beautiful surroundings, and we look forward to more patients being successfully treated here.”

Former president of the Fiji College of General Practitioners (FCGP), Dr Ram Raju, who is also the president of the Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) says, he is proud of his association with PSH Hospitals and has called on New Zealand and Australia to gradually look at providing a visa-free travel for Fijians and Pacific Islanders at large.

“We fully support the calls made by our Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad of a ‘Blue Pacific’ visa-free incentive from the New Zealand and Australian governments as it will have very positive outcomes in all sectors of the economy including medical tourism and many areas of trade and investments,” Dr Raju said.

“An economically integrated Blue Pacific can only arise from the foundation of visa-free movement of people.”

• by SHALENDRA PRASAD, a freelance photojournalist based in Nadi, Fiji