Shania Shayal Prasad 
Cervical cancer screening services have been severely affected after pathology machines at the Health Ministry stopped working in April.
The breakdown has caused major delays in detecting and treating potential cancer cases.
Fiji Cancer Society Chief Executive Belinda Chan said the organisation had to suspend Pap smear testing because specimens cannot be processed without functioning analyzers.
Chan states that the goal is to support early detection and reduce late presentations, but that cannot happen until the machines are repaired or replaced.
She adds private labs such as Pacific Specialist Laboratory and Oceania Private Hospital continue to test samples but Chan said the fee charged by these facilities makes it difficult for many women to access the service.
“Women who really need to have that test done, at the end of the day would have to fork out $55 to have their specimens examined and analyzed so they can get their results.”
In response to these concerns, Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa states a new mammogram machine for the Colonial War Memorial Hospital has already been paid for.
He that adds the new machine is expected to be in the country before the end of December.
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