The Ministry of Health and Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation of New Zealand today signed an Agreement of Assistance this afternoon.

The agreement signed by the Director of Curative Health Services Dr Ami Chandra and Foundation Trustee Dr Deepak Tahal will see the Ministry facilitating the needs of the team that comes in to perform open heart surgeries and pace makers in November.

Dr Chandra said the Foundation has conducted 66 surgeries which cost more than $3 million since 2006, and this has been greatly appreciated as many of the patients would normally have to pay more than $40,000 for the same procedure overseas.

The team is expected to be in the country in November.