source: Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection - Fiji / Facebook

Fiji faces mounting pressure to strengthen healthcare and social protection as gaps in maternal and child health, gender-based violence, child neglect, malnutrition, HIV and Non-Communicable Diseases put its most vulnerable at risk.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran states urgent reforms guided by accountability ethics, and innovation are critical to safeguarding lives.

Speaking at the Fiji Medical Association Annual Conference in Nadi this morning, Kiran said healthcare must go beyond treatment.

She calls for prevention, empowerment and protective systems that reach rural communities, marginalized groups and families under strain.

She urges medical professionals to develop clear protocols, provide education, and ensure accessible services.

“As a nation we don’t have good health seeking behavior. Poor food choices, sedentary lifestyle and stress often caused more by the excessive use of gadgets will only increase the burden on the health system and I hope FMA is developing mechanisms to ensure your health is a priority.”

Kiran notes the government has allocated $207.9 million to social protection this year, with programs for seniors, people with disabilities, children at risk, and rural pregnant mothers.

Free medicines and targeted allowances aim to prevent families from falling into poverty when illness strikes.

She warns that poor health behaviors, unhealthy lifestyles, and rising mental health issues are adding pressure to the system.

Kiran called on the Fiji Medical Association to safeguard the wellbeing of healthcare workers while promoting emotional, mental, and physical support for the profession.

Innovation, she says, must serve all Fijians, combining technology, preventive care, and community engagement to leave no one behind.

Kiran urges stronger partnerships between the Ministry and medical professionals to drive research, collect data, and educate communities on pressing health and social challenges.

She adds that real progress is measured in lives saved and hope restored, urging collective action to empower women, protect children, and uplift the vulnerable across Fiji.

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.