The Ministry of Health has announced plans to develop a new facility at the St Giles Psychiatric Hospital aimed at enhancing mental health services. During a presentation in Parliament on Thursday regarding the hospital’s renovations and upgrades, Health Minister Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalavabalavu revealed that the facility would offer specialized services in areas such as addiction psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and telepsychiatry.
Dr. Lalavabalavu emphasized the ministry’s efforts to engage with partners and donor organizations to support the establishment of this facility, which will enable the hospital to implement the latest treatment methods and improve mental health services in the country. He noted that the new facility would extend its capabilities to include addiction, child and adolescent, and geriatric psychiatry.
The minister also highlighted that the facility would provide specialized services, including group therapy, psychodrama, lithium level testing, recurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), among others. Earlier this year, the ministry completed the construction of a new security fence behind the men’s ward to enhance the safety of the admission facility.
Recent renovations have also been completed at the women’s ward, Moala ward, and the administrative building. Furthermore, significant works such as the tar sealing of roads and improvements to the hospital car park have been finished, totaling over $235,000 in costs. Dr. Lalavabalavu pointed out that the roads had been in poor condition for years, causing discomfort for patients and damage to vehicles and affecting staff living and working on the premises.
Looking ahead, he mentioned that the ministry has secured funding for additional repairs and renovations at the hospital for the 2024-2025 financial year.