Dr. Delasau

Colonial War Memorial Hospital General Surgeon Dr. Ilaitia Delasau says there is no evidence to prove that traditional medicine has any effect.

This is following the increasing number of patients turning to herbal treatment.

Dr. Delasau says traditional healers should understand that cancer needs to be treated at an early stage.

“Traditional healing is part of Fijian/ Indian lives, that’s the message, the leaves, all these things is part of us, we can’t fight it and I know that we can work together. It’s important for them to understand that early referral is important.”

Dr. Delasau says some patients used traditional medicines and then sought medical help when it was too late.

“A lot of women and men go there first, they try massage, they try leaves until they say that it bursts, but that’s the cancer is just getting bigger. A lot of them go to the traditional healers until at that stage and when they come it’s fixed to the chest wall, and it’s gone through to the armpit and we can’t do anything for that.”

He adds traditional healers must work with medical experts to understand that patients must seek medical attention.