Admissions for substance abuse at St Giles Hospital have experienced a staggering increase of 1,094.9 percent from 2018 to 2022, according to data released by the Health Ministry.
In 2018, the hospital recorded only 39 substance abuse admissions. This figure skyrocketed to 466 by 2022, prompting Health Minister Dr. Antonio Lalabalavu to label it as a “worsening drug crisis.” During a media briefing at the national launch of the Fiji Early Childhood Development (ECD) Policy, Dr. Lalabalavu emphasized the seriousness of the issue, linking the surge to various factors, including increased drug availability, socio-economic challenges, and enhanced detection and reporting systems.
Dr. Lalabalavu elaborated on the troubling behaviors, mentioning the danger of glue sniffing and other harmful practices reportedly taking root among the youth. He underscored the necessity for this challenge to be addressed within the policy framework, asserting that doing so would help ensure accountability for the Government and relevant stakeholders in implementing effective solutions.
He elaborated that the ECD Policy would be assessed biennially, aiming to mitigate harmful practices affecting children and young people.
The data also highlighted a demographic trend where iTaukei males constituted the majority of admissions, while females represented a much smaller fraction. Although there has been an uptick in substance abuse cases among Fijians of Indian descent and others, their overall participation remains lower.
On behalf of the Government, Dr. Lalabalavu committed to utilizing the ECD Policy as a strategic instrument to combat the crisis, especially focusing on the youth of Fiji.
As the number of substance abuse cases continues to rise alarmingly, the coming years will be critical to determine whether these initiatives can effectively reverse this troubling trend.
This situation sheds light on the urgent need for collective community action and better support systems for individuals struggling with substance abuse. With the government’s renewed focus on policy development and evaluation, there is hope for change and progress in addressing this pressing public health issue.
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