Labasa Hospital obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Saiasi Caginidaveta (pictured) says too many women are being diagnosed with cervical cancer when it is already too late for treatment.
Dr Caginidaveta said each year, women continue to present themselves at hospitals with advanced stages of the disease, limiting the ability of doctors to help.
“Women are diagnosed too late, often when our treatment options are limited and our hands are tied,” he said.
“When the disease progresses beyond what we can treat, all we can offer is palliative care.”
Dr Caginidaveta said cervical cancer remained one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Fiji.
“At Labasa Hospital alone, in 2024, we diagnosed 19 cases. The youngest patient was 28 years old, and the oldest was 60.
“This is a preventable disease, and these are preventable deaths.”
He said cervical cancer was preventable through HPV vaccination and regular Pap smear screening.
“We have the power to stop cervical cancer before it starts,” Dr Caginidaveta said.
“Fiji has made proud strides in this fight. We are among the first in the Pacific to roll out HPV testing, and the Northern Division has expanded screening programs across all subdivisions.”
However, he said many women still do not come forward for screening because of fear, stigma, or lack of information.
“Our challenge now is to take this message beyond hospital walls, into our villages, communities, and workplaces, so that no woman is left behind,” Dr Caginidaveta said, adding that education and awareness could help women seek help early and avoid unnecessary death.
