The University of Fiji marked has marked the UN World Health Day with a symposium and health screening programme, highlighting key health challenges, preventive care, and the importance of equitable and holistic wellbeing.
The event, held at the Saweni Campus, brought together healthcare professionals, academics, and students to engage in meaningful discussions on pressing public health issues and the role of education in shaping healthier communities.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem emphasized the importance of maintaining active and healthy lifestyles while acknowledging the everyday challenges individuals face in doing so. She noted that while exercise and proper nutrition are essential, health must be understood within a broader social context.
“Mental and physical health are inseparable, as one impacts the other in more ways that most of us realise. More than lifestyle, we need to look at the problem of inequity in healthcare provision. People who are economically and socially disadvantaged are more likely to suffer from ill-health that comes from neglect, deficient resources and lack of easy access to preventative healthcare” she said.
Professor Shameem further highlighted the University’s commitment to healthcare through initiatives such as free medical services on campus for all staff and students, staff medical insurance, and partnerships for medical and nursing students with healthcare providers such as Aspen, PSH and Oceania Hospitals. She also underscored the growing role of technology, including telemedicine, in improving access to healthcare services.
Following the Vice-Chancellor’s address, Associate Professor at the Umanand Prasad School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Dr Abhijit Gogoi, emphasized the importance of addressing both communicable and non-communicable diseases through education, awareness, and early intervention.
Dr Gogoi noted that the symposium highlighted critical health issues affecting Fiji and provided students with practical insights into current public health challenges.
He added that initiatives such as the health screening programme reinforce the importance of preventive healthcare and early detection, while also encouraging students to take an active role in promoting health within their communities.
Dr Gogoi reaffirmed the School’s commitment to producing healthcare professionals who are not only clinically competent, but also responsive to the evolving health needs of society.
As part of the World Health Day initiative, a health screening session was also conducted for staff and students, reinforcing the importance of early detection and preventive healthcare practices.
The symposium reflects the University of Fiji’s continued commitment to promoting health awareness, supporting national and global health priorities, and equipping students with the knowledge and responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare sector.
