wartika Nair (left) and Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister Manoa Kamikamica at the Pinktober empowerment event

As part of its ongoing commitment to fighting cancer in Fiji, Prestige Skills Training Academy is making mental health education a top priority to strengthen support systems for cancer victims and survivors’ families.

Speaking at the Pinktober empowerment event yesterday, Academy Director Swartika Nair emphasized the academy’s mission to strengthen families, enabling them to provide stronger support to their loved ones facing cancer and other stress-related challenges.

The Academy Director believes that families can only provide the support they need if they are mentally stable.

“Prestige is about empowering families who can support cancer survivors through all kinds of stress, not just cancer. “As we have said, we are advocating for mental health, which is a huge need for Fiji right now, and we are advocating for mental health in every sector.”

Nair points out that while mental health support is available for cancer victims and survivors, resources for their families are limited.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade Manoa Kamikamica emphasized that this is something we are missing and that the government will investigate the issue.

“This is something that, you know, requires a whole-of-nation approach, but I’m sure the government can always consider doing more, so that would probably be something that we could initiate and implement as well. Let’s see again.”

The Academy’s commitment to mental health supports goes hand-in-hand with Fiji’s national initiatives to improve community health and resilience, highlighting the importance of easily accessible help for families as vital to the health of cancer patients.