With non-communicable diseases causing 80 percent of deaths in the country, Diabetes Fiji says cultural stigma, fear of clinical outcomes, transport costs, and the lack of early symptoms often prevent people from seeking medical care until severe complications, including sepsis, develop.
Diabetes Fiji Executive Director Kini Marawa says about 70 percent of surgical procedures carried out in the new Minor Operating Theatre at CWM Hospital are for diabetic foot complications.
He says the root causes of these complications include delayed medical intervention due to reliance on traditional herbal remedies or faith healing.
He adds that although many people living with diabetes have a basic understanding of their condition, they often neglect routine disease management.
Marawa says clinical data from CWM Hospital reveals significant disparities in healthcare utilisation, with delayed access to primary healthcare, particularly among iTaukei communities, resulting in disproportionately higher surgical admissions and amputations.
He says that while Community Health Workers provide invaluable outreach services, the healthcare system continues to focus more on reactive, tertiary treatment than on early detection and preventive screening.
Marawa says diabetic foot screening must be routinely integrated into primary healthcare consultations to reduce the growing number of amputations.
He says Diabetes Fiji is advocating five immediate operational measures to stem the rising tide of diabetes-related amputations and chronic complications.
These include universal routine foot assessments for every person living with diabetes during clinical visits, targeted public education campaigns to discourage delayed treatment and promote proactive self-care, the deployment of specialist teams—including dietitians, foot care nurses, and diabetes educators—to rural and maritime communities, stronger referral networks linking non-governmental organisations, Community Health Workers, and public health centres, and greater investment in primary prevention and early diagnostic services instead of costly tertiary care.
Marawa's message to every Fijian living with diabetes is that the condition is manageable and should not be viewed as a sentence to disability or premature death.
He says knowledge alone is not enough—taking action saves lives.
He urges people not to wait until they experience pain, non-healing wounds, or other severe complications before seeking medical attention.
Marawa adds that people should visit their nearest health facility for regular screenings, maintain good blood glucose control, and seek support from healthcare professionals as early as possible.
