Rising fuel prices are not just squeezing household budgets in northern Fiji — they are also worsening stress and driving unhealthy coping behaviours, Macuata sub‑divisional medical officer Dr Amoo Bolaji warned on Thursday.
Speaking at a workshop held at the Friendly North Inn in Labasa, Dr Bolaji said that the knock‑on effects of higher fuel costs — from pricier transport to costlier food — were already adding to the burden faced by many families. “When fuel prices rise, transportation becomes more expensive and the cost of goods also goes up,” he said, stressing that the financial strain “does not stay in the wallet, it affected the mind and body.”
Dr Bolaji outlined a series of health consequences linked to economic pressure. He said stress commonly led people to unhealthy coping mechanisms, noting that “some people turn to smoking, alcohol or inactivity as a way to cope, but these only increase the risk of complications.” He also highlighted the dietary impacts of rising living costs: when healthy food becomes unaffordable, households often opt for cheaper, less nutritious options, contributing to obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol.
The medical officer framed these links as part of a broader, inseparable relationship between economic and health outcomes. “You cannot separate the two. When the cost of living goes up, health is affected,” he said. His comments come as global fuel price movements continue to feed through to local transport and retail costs, heightening concerns among health workers and community leaders about secondary social and medical effects.
As a response, Dr Bolaji called for stronger community support systems to help people manage stress and adopt healthier behaviours. He urged communities to bolster social networks and promote practical, low‑cost healthy habits to reduce pressure on vulnerable households: “If we support each other and encourage healthy habits, we can reduce some of the pressure people are facing.”
The warning underscores a growing focus among Fiji’s public health and social welfare actors on the indirect health harms of economic shocks. Community leaders and advocacy groups have previously linked financial hardship to rises in substance misuse and family strain; Dr Bolaji’s remarks add a clinical voice to those concerns and underline the need for preventative, community‑based interventions as costs of living fluctuate.
With fuel prices likely to remain volatile, Dr Bolaji’s message is a call to integrate economic realities into health planning — ensuring mental‑health support, community outreach and affordable nutrition are treated as part of the response to broader economic stressors.
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