Health Minister Doctor Atonio Lalabalavu says there is no need to establish a cancer centre in Fiji currently, as treatments are incorporated at various primary and secondary healthcare facilities.

Dr Lalabalavu says the ministry’s management of cancer extends from prevention to risk factor mitigation, vaccination, early diagnosis, treatment, medicine, surgical procedures and radiation therapy, rehabilitation, and chronic pain management.

He adds most treatment modalities are available around the country, however, radiotherapy treatment is still not available and cases have to be referred overseas.

“At the moment, we can say no, because most of the treatment modalities are incorporated in the various settings that I have mentioned. But nevertheless, at present, there is a dedicated RPPP with ASPEN, under Government and Healthcare Fiji Limited, for Lautoka and Ba Hospital. They are supposed to provide radiotherapy services at one of the tertiary hospitals, the tertiary hospitals in Lautoka hospitals in the future.”

Dr Lalabalavu says establishing a radiotherapy centre is costly, which is why Lautoka and Ba Hospitals will work together through a Public Private Partnership.

He highlighted plans for a heart and kidney treatment facility within the super-speciality hospital for cancer therapy.

Additionally, the Minister says a multi-sector team is reviewing the Radiation Health Act of 2009 to enable the introduction of radiotherapy services in Fiji, ensuring alignment with international standards.