In Kasavu Village, 63-year-old Tulia Marama has watched neighbours, relatives and even young parents struggle with diabetes-related complications.

While speaking to FBC News, Marama says it has become so common that many families now live in quiet fear.

She says this is because they knowing that one missed check-up or one untreated wound can change a life overnight.

Across Tailevu, that story is repeating itself, and Tailevu Provincial Administrator, Ilisoni Lagi Vusoniceva, says the rapid rise in diabetes and other Non-Communicable Diseases is no longer an issue limited to towns and cities, but is now deeply affecting rural communities and villages that once relied on farming, fresh food and daily physical activity as a natural part of life.

Vusoniceva says one of the biggest concerns is how quickly lifestyles have shifted.

“People nowadays prefer processed foods from shops and supermarkets instead of fresh produce from the farm, and there is not much exercise done to keep our bodies active.”

He says there are more young people presenting with early signs of NCDs, something that was almost unheard of in their parents’ and grandparents’ time.

Vusoniceva believes part of the problem is the growing distance from traditional ways of living, where hard work, home-grown meals and shared responsibilities shaped daily life.

“This shows how our lifestyles are changing compared to our forefathers who lived healthier lives. We have changed how we live and eat, and there is less activity. We have failed to demonstrate those habits to our children.”

As the country continues to lose loved ones to diabetes-related complications, community members believe change must start at home. For them, every healthier decision is a chance to protect the next generation from a crisis that has already taken too many lives.

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