Dr. Mere Tuilagi-Navula

Dr. Mere Tuilagi-Navula is a consultant dermatologist at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) in Suva — Fiji's national referral hospital and main tertiary care centre. She is one of very few specialist dermatologists in the Pacific Island region, serving patients from across Fiji's main and outer islands, as well as receiving referrals from neighbouring Pacific nations including Vanuatu and Kiribati. Her practice addresses the unique dermatological burden of tropical Pacific populations: tropical skin infections, leprosy, scabies outbreaks, and the high UV exposure-related risk of skin cancer. She trained in Australia and New Zealand, earning Fellowship of the Australasian College of Dermatologists, and brings Pacific-focused dermatological expertise back to Fiji. She is deeply committed to improving skin health literacy in Pacific communities and to early cancer detection through dermoscopy and structured screening.

Dr. Tuilagi-Navula completed her MBBS at the Fiji School of Medicine (now part of the University of the South Pacific / University of Fiji). She then pursued postgraduate dermatology training in New Zealand, earning the Diploma in Dermatology from the University of Auckland, before completing her full Fellowship of the Australasian College of Dermatologists (FACD) — the highest dermatology qualification in the Australasia-Pacific region. During her training she received extensive exposure to skin cancer diagnostics including dermoscopy and Mohs micrographic surgery principles. She has also participated in Pacific-specific workshops on leprosy management, tropical skin infections, and sun protection programmes for high-UV environments.

Dr. Tuilagi-Navula manages the full spectrum of dermatological conditions. Her tropical dermatology practice includes tinea corporis, pityrosporum folliculitis, leprosy (a continuing public health concern in Fiji), scabies, and cutaneous larva migrans. She conducts structured skin cancer surveillance, particularly for squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, which carry elevated risk in Pacific populations with high sun exposure. She performs dermoscopy-guided biopsies, surgical excision of malignant and pre-malignant lesions, and cryotherapy for keratoses and warts. Common inflammatory skin diseases including eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rosacea are managed with medical therapy. She also provides patch testing for allergic contact dermatitis.

Dr. Tuilagi-Navula consults in English and Fijian. She welcomes patients from across the Pacific region and sees international visitors and expatriates in Fiji requiring dermatological assessment. CWMH's dermatology outpatient clinic accepts referrals and self-referrals for consultations. For tourists or international visitors with urgent skin concerns during a stay in Fiji, the clinic can accommodate priority consultations. She advises international patients — particularly those from high-melanoma-risk populations (fair-skinned, significant sun exposure history) — to consider a skin check if visiting Fiji for extended periods. Medical records and previous biopsy reports should be brought to the consultation.

Dr. Tuilagi-Navula is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Dermatologists and a member of both the Fiji Medical Association and the Pacific Dermatology Association. She has been recognised by the Fiji Ministry of Health for her role in establishing structured dermatology services at CWMH and for her leprosy elimination programme contributions. She has presented at Pacific regional health conferences on skin cancer incidence in Pacific populations. She serves as a clinical supervisor for medical graduates and junior doctors rotating through the dermatology unit and contributes to public health campaigns on sun protection and scabies control in Fijian schools.