COMMUNITY leaders, people with lived experience and health professionals must work together to strengthen Fiji’s suicide prevention efforts, says Associate Professor Jacinta Hawgood.
The Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention academic said people with lived experience, health professionals, policymakers, and researchers need to work together to develop effective suicide prevention services and policies.
Prof Hawgood said participants at the IASP Asia Pacific Regional Forum 2026 in Nadi should leave with a better understanding of the similarities between different groups and the value each brings to suicide prevention.
She said: “We hope people leave with an understanding of how much similarity there is between us and how we can work really well together to co-produce great outcomes.”
“Suicide is complex and requires multiple approaches rather than a single solution.
“You’re looking at a multifactorial response, so lots of things happening simultaneously.”
Prof Hawgood said Fiji also needs to identify and address its own cultural nuances while sharing resources and knowledge with other countries.
She said Fiji’s hosting of the regional forum provided an opportunity for countries to learn from the Pacific.
Meanwhile, Roses in the Ocean’s chief executive officer Bronwen Edwards said cultural leaders, community leaders, faith leaders, and people with lived experience should have a strong voice in Fiji’s suicide prevention efforts.
Ms Edwards said participants should leave the forum with greater confidence to work collaboratively and ensure all voices are included in suicide prevention efforts.
