According to the Vanuatu Health Sector Strategy 2021-2030, non-communicable diseases such as cancer are a significant problem in the archipelago. The most common cancers are reported to be breast, liver, cervical, prostate and thyroid. However, cancer data is unreliable, mainly due to underdiagnosis and challenges in maintaining an up-to-date cancer registry. Ni-Vanuatu people often present to health facilities with suspected advanced or metastatic cancer after having tried other forms of medicine. Biomedical resources for cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment are centralised in the capital, Port Vila, and are extremely limited. For example, biopsies taken at Vila Central Hospital are not always sent to Australia for analysis. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are not available in the country. There is also no institutionalised government system to promote coordination or cross-border cooperation in patient care. Despite these challenges, some people attempt to travel abroad (mainly to New Caledonia, Australia or New Zealand) for further investigations or treatment.
Based on ethnographic research conducted in 2023, this communication focuses on the experiences of women who travel – or do not travel – internationally for breast or reproductive cancer treatment. My materials highlight significant inequalities, particularly in relation to economic resources and social networks, as well as factors such as sector of employment, nationality and religious affiliation of these women.
