Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has expressed his personal experience with diabetes, having lost family members to the disease, and he emphasized the importance of monitoring blood sugar levels. During the Diabetes Campaign Launch 2024 at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, he encouraged Fijians to prioritize their health.
Rabuka recounted the tragic history of his family’s struggles with diabetes, noting the deaths and health issues faced by his loved ones over the years. He shared that his mother lost her two infant sons due to the disease and later went blind in 1963, living without sight until her death in 1992.
Following a recent consultation with his doctor, who advised him to be mindful of his blood sugar, the Prime Minister is now more vigilant in managing his own health.
He highlighted alarming statistics, stating that in 2020, approximately 5,700 Fijians died from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). He stressed that around 80 percent of deaths in Fiji are attributed to diabetes and other NCDs, with numbers continuing to rise. The Prime Minister pointed out that children, adults, and the elderly are all susceptible to the risk factors that cause these diseases, including poor dietary habits, lack of exercise, exposure to tobacco smoke, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Rabuka also noted that globally, one in ten adults suffers from diabetes, primarily type 2, with nearly half remaining undiagnosed.