Shania Shayal Prasad 
Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa is calling for a people-centred and faith-driven approach in the fight against cancer.
Speaking during the Cancer Oncology Conference in Suva, Ravunawa says cancer not only attacks the body but also the soul, and treatment must go beyond drugs and machines to include compassion, faith, and community support.
He says the health response should unite doctors, nurses, public health experts, social workers, and faith-based organisations under one coordinated approach to provide holistic care that integrates prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative support.
“Providing patients with dignity, comfort, and hope, even when healing is beyond medicine. This is what it truly means to practice Universal Health Coverage that no Fijian, and no Pacific islander, faces cancer alone.”
Ravunawa highlights that faith communities play a vital role, as churches, mosques, and temples remain trusted spaces where truth, hope, and healing begin.
He adds faith leaders can help people understand prevention, encourage early testing, and support families during times of grief and fear.
The Assistant Minister further adds that governments must invest not only in hospitals but also in healthy living, education, and health equity, stressing that the cost of inaction will always be greater than the cost of prevention.
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