Mollyn Nakabea 
[Photo: Mollyn Nakabea]
While doctors and nurses are often the public face of healthcare, laboratory professionals provide the critical evidence needed for diagnosis, treatment, disease detection, and outbreak response.
This was highlighted by Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa at the Fiji Institute of Medical Laboratory Science conference.
Ravunawa says medical laboratory forms the foundation of clinical medicine, emphasizing that strengthening its services means strengthening Fiji’s health care system
“You are the scientists behind science. You are the professionals who transform samples into answers, uncertainty into evidence, and data into life-saving decisions. Simply put, healthcare cannot function effectively without strong laboratory services that you provide.”
FNU Associate Professor Dr Aruna Devi says the field became the backbone of healthcare during health crises.
“Laboratory scientists became the invisible spine of the healthcare response process in thousands of samples, validating results, implementing new testing technologies, ensuring quality assurance, and providing the critical data that guided national decisions, locally here and globally.”
Devi says with the present threat of emerging outbreaks such as Ebola, the work of laboratory professionals is becoming increasingly critical.
“Laboratory scientists are often the first professionals to detect unusual disease patterns, identify emerging pathogens, monitor antimicrobial resistance trends, and provide early warning signals that enable public health authorities to respond effectively, efficiently, and globally.”
She emphasized the need for stronger collaboration and urged laboratory scientists to become creators of knowledge that advances healthcare and research.
