Recently, St Giles Hospital in Suva reported that 57 new youth admissions have tested positive for HIV, including a 14-year-old. Permanent Secretary for Justice Selina Kuruleca addressed this alarming situation during the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution Annual Conference in Sigatoka. She explained that the rise in cases is linked to a dangerous practice known as ‘bluetoothing’ among students, which involves the sharing of needles and can lead to the transmission of HIV through contaminated blood among young drug users.
Kuruleca highlighted the gravity of this issue by stating that, as of September this year, 1.7 percent of Fiji’s student population, equating to 3,519 young individuals, have been involved in drug-related incidents. While this percentage may seem small, she emphasized that each statistic represents a young life at risk, and there may be many more cases that remain unreported.
In light of these findings, the Substance Abuse Advisory Council conducted an evaluation of drug abuse and trafficking within schools, revealing disturbing statistics: in 2023 alone, there were 3,627 drug-related cases recorded across Fiji’s educational institutions, marking a 40 percent increase since 2018. The breakdown shows 1,578 cases in primary schools and 2,049 in secondary schools.
The situation calls for urgent attention and action to prevent further crisis among youth in Fiji. Various organizations and government bodies need to collaborate on comprehensive educational and support programs to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse, particularly focusing on prevention strategies.
Despite the severity of these developments, there is hope that increased awareness and intervention can lead to positive changes. By coming together as a community to support our youth and promote healthy behaviors, we can combat the troubling trends in drug use and the spread of diseases like HIV.
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