Fiji moves closer to local radiotherapy treatment

Cancer patients in Fiji could soon access radiotherapy treatment without leaving the country, as the Government moves closer to establishing a local service aimed at reducing the financial and emotional strain of overseas medical travel.

Speaking during the Pinktober Awareness Programme at the Fiji National University's Pasika Campus in Suva yesterday, Ministry of Health and Medical Services permanent secretary Dr Aalisha Sahu Khan said significant work was underway to strengthen Fiji's cancer treatment capabilities.

"For too long, Fijians have had to travel overseas for radiotherapy at immense personal and financial cost," Dr Sahu Khan said.

The development marks a major step forward in the country's efforts to improve cancer care and provide more specialised treatment services locally.

Dr Sahu Khan said the Government was investing in medical and dental professionals while expanding specialist services to ensure patients received comprehensive care closer to home.

She highlighted the establishment of dedicated facilities, including an Oral Surgical Unit and an Oncology Unit, as part of Fiji's broader strategy to improve diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes.

The announcement came during a Pinktober awareness session that focused on oral cancer, a disease Dr Sahu Khan described as an urgent health concern that often receives less public attention than other forms of cancer.

She said oral cancer could have devastating consequences, affecting a person's ability to speak, eat, swallow and smile, while delayed diagnosis often made treatment more difficult.

The programme explored head and neck cancers, diagnostic challenges and reconstructive procedures available to patients.

Dr Sahu Khan said strengthening local specialist services and building the capacity of healthcare workers were critical to improving survival rates and reducing the burden of cancer on families.

She also urged students to take cancer awareness messages back to their communities and encourage people to seek medical help as soon as symptoms appeared.

"Know the signs, seek early care, and let us break the silence together," she said.

The Ministry's push to establish local radiotherapy services is expected to significantly improve access to cancer treatment and ease the hardship faced by many Fijian families forced to seek specialised care abroad.