The Fiji National University (FNU) today launched a week-long celebration to mark the 140th Anniversary of the Fiji School of Medicine (FSMed), now known as the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS).

Students, alumni, dignitaries, families, and guests turned out in large numbers to honour the legacy of the region’s oldest medical institution.

The theme for the celebrations is “Honouring the Past, Embracing the Future, and Celebrating Excellence in Health Professional Education.”

Chief Guest, the British High Commissioner to Fiji, His Excellency Kanbar Hossein Bor, reflected on its role in the institution’s development.

“From the early days of the colonial administration, when the Suva Medical School was established in response to devastating epidemics, to the development of the Central Medical School in 1928, British support helped shape the foundation of medical education in the Pacific,” he said.

“These institutions laid the groundwork for what is now FNU—an institution that continues to be a beacon of excellence in health education. Today, our partnership with Fiji and the Pacific continues through robust multilateral investments. As we celebrate this milestone, let us also honour the role of FNU in shaping the region’s health workforce. Its graduates are not just doctors, they are leaders, healers, and changemakers.”

FNU’s Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor Corporate Services, Dr Joseph Veramu, acknowledged the collective efforts behind the milestone celebrations.

“As the home of the oldest medical school in the Pacific, delivering premier education in medicine, nursing, allied health sciences, dentistry, and public health, the FNU family must rise to this call,” Dr Veramu said.

“It is our duty to respond with courage, compassion, and innovation. We must commit ourselves to stronger policies and multi-faceted strategies that will address challenges at every level, in Fiji and across the region. Milestones such as this 140th anniversary remind us of how far we have come, and of the vital work that still lies ahead.”

Reflecting on the institution’s evolution, FSMed alumnus Dr Apenisa Ratu, who studied there in 1974, said it was important to look ahead while celebrating the past.

“I don’t think those early students could have imagined that their modest beginnings would grow into a regional institution training health professionals from 22 Pacific Island countries,” Dr Ratu said.

“What began as a humble vision to provide healthcare for locals, by locals has evolved into a regional hub for medical education and research. The institution now not only produces a wide range of health professionals but also attracts students from across the Pacific and beyond.”