Acting Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica says early detection of cancer still remains a concern for Fiji.
While launching the World Cancer Day in Suva yesterday, the Minister for Trade said now more than ever people need to work together to help patients get the help they need.
Kamikamica said that: “Firstly, we must prioritise prevention and early detection. This means investing in community-based education and screening programs, particularly in under-resourced areas – alongside removing financial barriers to preventive services so that no one has to choose between their health and their financial security.”
He said the fear of death continues to be a main factor in victims taking long to seek help, and sometimes this is too late to get the appropriate help.
Kamikamica said this is why early detection is so important, because being diagnosed at later stages limits treatment options and often the outcomes are less favourable – a crossroad no family has to brave considering the financial burden that comes with cancer care, forcing families to make impossible choices between healthcare and other necessities.
He said the country must not rest until the care gap is closed and until every person facing cancer receives the care and support they need to live a full and healthy life.
