[Photo: FILE]
Lupus patients and advocates in Fiji are calling for better access to specialist care and improved medical training, amid concerns that the chronic autoimmune disease is too often misdiagnosed or detected too late.
Lupus, which can mimic symptoms of other illnesses, is often diagnosed late, increasing the risk of severe complications that may have been prevented through earlier treatment.
Lupus patient Maria Cawai says her condition was initially mistaken for other health issues as doctors struggled to identify the cause of her symptoms.
“I first noticed I was having this weird kind of pain in my wrists, and then eventually the pain started to grow, and I was just having weird body pain. So, between I would say March and May, when we were trying to figure out what was wrong with me, there was a lot of misdiagnosis.”
Deputy Secretary for Health Services Mike Kama says the Ministry of Health recognises the difficulties in diagnosing lupus due to the nature of the disease.
“Yes, with lupus, the ministry recognises that there is usually a delay in diagnosis because of the nature of lupus erythematosus; it mimics other illnesses.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Dean of the Umanand Prasad Medical School at the University of Fiji, Dr Samuela Korovou, says improvements in primary healthcare and medical curriculum reviews could help strengthen early intervention and patient outcomes.
Lupus Foundation Executive Director Una Tuitubou is also calling for more rheumatologists and immunologists in the country to support faster diagnosis and treatment.
Health authorities say strengthening specialist services, expanding access to expertise, and improving medical training remain key priorities in addressing lupus care in Fiji.
