45 new cases of cancer for children are estimated to be reported in Fiji every year.
Speaking at the WOWS Pacific Island Child Cancer Regional Conference in Nadi this morning, Minister for Health and Medical Services Rosy Akbar says with these 45 cases, only half are medically treated at health facilities.
We have been treating childhood cancers in Fiji for the last 30 years. During the early years we have been having poor outcomes mainly due to the late presentations to hospital, lack of good diagnostic and treatment facilities and lack of family support resulting in repeated treatments or default in treatment.
Akbar says health officials from the CWM and Lautoka hospitals are working together with experts from the Christchurch Hospital in NZ and this has helped Fiji in its successful treatment of up to 50% of childhood Leukaemia cases.
