The success of Fiji’s first settlement-based wellness center is paving the way for more communities to receive the same support in the fight against non-communicable diseases.

Following the opening of the Marata Wellness Center, the JP Bayly Trust, Board of Trustees member, Dr. Rufina Latu highlighted that similar community wellness centers will soon be established in other settlements, bringing health services closer to more families.

She said that the Trust works closely with village leaders from the beginning to ensure each community supports the project before construction begins.

Two more wellness centers are expected to open later this week in Naikorokoro, Lami, and Bainivualiku, Samabula.

“We have two later in the week one is in Naikorokoro, Lami area the other one is Bainivualuki, Samabula area similar things our process is to the Turaga ni Koro/ Village headman talk to him and his team about what we intend to do. So, they can get a buy-in and accept what we are trying to do so we are one right from the very beginning and through out the process and we are now entering into the phase of launching this beautiful, humble community-based facility that links us to Nuffield Health Center, Tamavua” Dr. Latu highlighted.

Dr. Latu said the expansion is driven by the growing impact of non-communicable diseases across Fiji.

And added that taking health programmes directly into communities can help encourage healthier lifestyles and reduce preventable illnesses before they become life-threatening.

“We know that NCDS’s is a killer in Fiji, 80% of deaths of adults are associated with NCD’s and that is a fact. The common NCD’s that doctors have alluded to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and airway disease cannot breathe well, and now, mental disease is part of NCD.

We see severe complications from NCD everyday we see with our eyes, we hear the stories and we see the hospitals people are dying young in their 50’s, 40’s and 60’s not even reaching 70’s they die to young leaving behind a young family” she said.

By: Joeli Ragoneliwa