A new $25,000 partnership between supermarket chain Jack’s of Fiji and the Fiji Cancer Society was announced in Nadi today, bolstering community outreach, screening and women’s health programs with a particular focus on cervical cancer in the Western Division. The funds, company and charity officials said, will also be used to buy testing consumables to support screening of women across Fiji.
Speaking at the launch, Ronald Reddy, Jack’s of Fiji Group People and Capability Manager and chair of the company’s corporate social responsibility committee, said the initiative “goes beyond a financial contribution.” Reddy stressed the importance of awareness and early detection, noting cancer “continues to affect thousands of families and communities,” and that the partnership is intended to encourage people to seek medical advice and screening without fear.
Belinda Chan, chief executive of the Fiji Cancer Society, described the donation as timely amid ongoing funding and staffing constraints that limit the society’s ability to reach remote and underserved communities. Chan said the society has seen improvements in early presentation for breast cancer screening, but remains concerned that many patients delay treatment after diagnosis and often return only when the disease has advanced. The new support, she said, will help improve follow-up care and patient retention within the healthcare system.
Officials said the funds will be channelled into community outreach activities in the Western Division, where Nadi, Lautoka and surrounding towns serve large and diverse populations. Cancer screening drives in those areas aim to raise awareness of preventable and treatable cancers, while improving access to tests and timely referrals. The purchase of testing consumables — supplies necessary for conducting cervical and other screening tests — was singled out as a direct, practical use of the donation that will expand the society’s operational capacity.
The partnership underscores a growing reliance on private-sector support for public health initiatives in Fiji, particularly for chronic and non-communicable diseases where sustained resources are required for screening, diagnostics and patient follow-up. Chan emphasised that collaborations with companies like Jack’s of Fiji can help bridge gaps created by limited public funding and workforce shortages, allowing the Fiji Cancer Society to maintain and scale outreach activities.
Jack’s CSR committee has previously supported community programmes, and Reddy framed the latest contribution as part of a longer-term commitment to health promotion. He said the company intends not only to fund activity but to back efforts that destigmatise cancer and make screening a routine part of women’s health care in the communities it serves.
The announcement comes as health providers and non-government organisations continue to push for greater early-detection services across Fiji, particularly for cancers that are highly treatable when caught early. By combining financial support for consumables with enhanced outreach and follow-up, organisers said the partnership seeks to increase screening uptake and ensure more women complete recommended diagnostic and treatment pathways.