Diabetics on the rise in Fiji

Listen to this article:

Ratu Epeli Nailatikau with Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services , Alexander O’ Connor and with Chairman for Diabetes Fiji, Taabish Akbar. Picture: Vishaal Kumar/FILE

DIABETES is now very common in Fiji and the number of people with diabetes is increasing.

This was highlighted by Speaker of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau during World Diabetes Day Blue Breakfast at the University of the South Pacific (USP) yesterday.

Ratu Epeli said almost one in every three Fijians was diagnosed with diabetes in the country, representing 30 per cent of the population.

“Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1, but it is also more easily avoided if the correct healthy lifestyle is adopted,” Ratu Epeli said.

“There are also many people in Fiji living with diabetes who may not even know it because they do not have the symptoms or they do not even know what the symptoms are.”

He added it was important for people to get their blood sugar tested regularly in order to know their status.

“Early identification of those Fijians who are at risk of developing these diseases is paramount and this is why all health facilities in Fiji offer free screening services for non-communicable diseases and their risk factors.

“It is a timely reminder of the impact that diabetes has not just on the patient, but also on the family.

On the other hand, it adds to the financial and caregiving burden of the family.”

Ratu Epeli said prevention initiatives were critical if Fiji wanted to decrease diabetes rates.

He also said the risk of developing NCDs could be lowered simply by Fijians making healthy choices for themselves and their families.

The theme for this year’s World Diabetes Day was “Family and Diabetes”.

Array
(
    [post_type] => post
    [post_status] => publish
    [orderby] => date
    [order] => DESC
    [update_post_term_cache] => 
    [update_post_meta_cache] => 
    [cache_results] => 
    [category__in] => 1
    [posts_per_page] => 4
    [offset] => 0
    [no_found_rows] => 1
    [date_query] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [after] => Array
                        (
                            [year] => 2023
                            [month] => 12
                            [day] => 29
                        )

                    [inclusive] => 1
                )

        )

)

No Posts found for specific category