THE Colonial War Memorial Hospital will soon operate a new radiotherapy centre, aimed at improving cancer treatment for Fijians and the wider Pacific region.
Speaking at the panel discussions on the launch of the $US239.5million ($F528.12m) Pacific Healthy Islands Transformation Project (PHIT) in Nadi, Health Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said the facility is one of the thematic areas for the PHIT report funded by the World Bank.
“We have been planning for a number of years now,” he said.
“At our last briefing with our counterparts at the World Bank we all agreed that it is time now to implement.
“That is why we are here today with the launch of the Pacific Healthy Islands Transformation project, for which a number of thematic areas will be covered for Fiji in this report, and one is a radiotherapy centre to be made available here in Fiji.”
Dr Lalabalavu said the facility would be the first of its kind in Fiji.
“It will be the first of its kind in Fiji and the transformation of cancer care is not only about tertiary level care.
“It is about looking at it holistically from screening perspective, right down to treatment, awareness, and it is about transforming regulation, laws and transforming capacity for staffs that will be looking after this facility.”
He said the project also focused on transforming primary health care.
“The sector which the initial screening will be done, follow ups will be done in the 17 primary health care facilities that have been identified through the PHIT project
“So, it is not only about transforming tertiary care with a new therapy centre but it’s about transforming cancer care holistically from screening right up to follow-ups, treatment and right up to tertiary care.
“It will not only be a national radiotherapy centre but also a regional referral centre for radiotherapy treatment for cancer care.”
He said they were also renewing the regulations for radiotherapy treatment.
“We are also sending some of our staff for training so that when this facility is implemented, we certainly have people who will be able to look after it, and to ensure that it is operational so our people within the Pacific region can have access to radiotherapy treatment here in Fiji.”
