A baby born with a serious congenital lung condition has undergone life-changing surgery at Vaiola Hospital, avoiding a high-risk medical transfer overseas while strengthening local specialist skills.

The operation was carried out by a visiting team from the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) alongside Tongan clinicians under the New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme (NZMTS).

The infant experienced severe respiratory distress from just two days after birth and relied on a chest drain and continuous oxygen support. According to Vaiola Hospital General Surgeon Dr Alamea Fulivai, the drain had to be reinserted several times, making the case particularly complex.

The specialist team included paediatric surgeon and PMA President Dr Kiki Maoate and paediatric anaesthetist Dr David Linscott. Together with local surgeons, they performed a neonatal thoracotomy to remove a congenital lung abnormality.

Dr Fulivai said transferring the baby to New Zealand would have carried significant risks because of the chest drain and could have required an air ambulance costing up to NZ$70,000, excluding treatment and hospital expenses.

Dr Maoate said delivering specialist care in Tonga reduced costs, kept the family together and helped build the capability of local health professionals. He said the flexibility of the NZMTS partnership enabled Pacific countries to use available funding more effectively while improving access to specialist care.

The deployment also provided hands-on training for Tongan clinicians, who participated throughout the operation and gained experience managing rare neonatal conditions.

Dr Fulivai described the opportunity as a “game changer”, expressing hope that increasingly complex paediatric surgeries could eventually be performed independently in Tonga.