Over 80% of Fiji amputations linked to diabetes

More than 80 per cent of amputations in Fiji are linked to diabetes — a crisis that demands immediate attention, says Diabetes Fiji executive director Marawa Kini.

“Diabetes demands attention 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and it doesn’t take days off,” Mr Kini said.

“That’s a heavy responsibility, and yet, thousands of people in Fiji and millions worldwide carry it with extraordinary courage, resilience and determination.”

He said diabetes is one of Fiji’s most pressing health challenges, with the nation ranking among the highest in the world for diabetes rates.

“More than one in three Fijians are affected and many more remain undiagnosed,” Mr Kini said.

Many of the complications that lead to amputations, he added, can be prevented with early detection and consistent care. But statistics only tell part of the story.

“These are our parents, siblings, children, workmates and friends,” he said.

“When diabetes strikes, it affects not just the individual but entire families and communities.”

Mr Kini stressed that managing diabetes “is not a one-man or one-woman show” — it requires commitment from the person living with the disease, along with support for regular monitoring, medication, healthy eating and physical activity.

He also urged the public to understand the different forms of diabetes:

• Type 1 Diabetes – An autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells. Usually appears in childhood or adolescence, but can develop at any age. Requires daily insulin.
• Type 2 Diabetes – The most common type. The body becomes resistant to insulin or produces too little. Often linked to lifestyle factors but also influenced by genetics.
• Gestational Diabetes – Develops during pregnancy, usually disappears after delivery, but increases the risk of mother and child developing Type 2 diabetes later.

Despite the scale of the problem, he said hope remains.

“Together, with knowledge, compassion and action, we can change the future of diabetes in Fiji,” he said.

“To everyone living with diabetes I want to say you are warriors, not just patients. To their families and friends, I want to say you are the unsung heroes. And to the wider community I want to say that the time to act is now because every day we delay, diabetes doesn’t.”

He is calling on the public to unite for awareness, prevention and to save lives from preventable amputations.