The Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Margaret Twomey has handed over laboratory equipment and consumables worth FJD$382,266 to the Ministry of Health as part of its ongoing commitment to combat diabetes‑related complications in Fiji.
Twomey says the equipment will benefit Fijians living with NCDs to manage their health and live longer productive lives.
The Minister for Health Rosy Akbar says one of Fiji's key challenges is that many cases go undiagnosed resulting in many people accessing healthcare services at a late stage when the conditions get complicated and expensive to manage.
She says having these equipment would mean for the patients to be able to have early diagnosis, being able to decrease the complications of diabetes which results in blindness, kidney failure and amputation, as being some of the most severe, life threatening complications.
The equipment includes six biochemistry analysers, water distillers and computers that can do a range of biochemistry tests that will help to assess and better manage diabetes cases.
The equipment will be provided to the Rakiraki, Tavua, Taveuni, Navua and Levuka sub divisional hospitals and the Seaqaqa health centre.
With the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, Margaret Twomey during the handing over of new laboratory equipment at the Navua Hospital pic.twitter.com/OcRtO3xSYW
— Rosy Sofia Akbar (@MWCPA2014) June 14, 2017
