Majority of chemotherapy drugs are available – Waqainabete

Minister for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete confirms majority of the chemotherapy drugs are available except the very hard to find medicines.

Waqainabete highlighted this after the Leader of National Federation Party Professor Biman Prasad stated in Parliament that Fiji Cancer Society continues to provide food and chemotherapy to patients when the Health Ministry runs out of chemotherapy drugs.

The Minister says he has received confirmation from the Director of Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services that the very hard to find medicine includes Etoposide which is not used everyday.

Etoposide is a chemotherapy medication used for the treatments of a number of types of cancer including testicular cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, neuroblastoma, and ovarian cancer.

Prasad says Fiji Cancer Society also provides other support to cancer patients as we do not have a dedicated facility.