The Ministry of Health is set to develop a new facility at the St Giles Psychiatric Hospital to enhance mental health services in the area. During a presentation in Parliament on Thursday, Health Minister Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalavabalavu discussed the hospital’s renovations and upgrades, announcing that the new facility would offer specialized services such as addiction psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and telepsychiatry.
Dr. Lalavabalavu emphasized that the ministry is seeking partnerships and support from donor organizations to assist in establishing this facility, which aims to adopt the latest treatment techniques and improve mental health services nationwide. He highlighted that the new facility will also enable the hospital to expand into addiction psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and geriatrics.
Furthermore, the facility will provide specialized services including group therapy, psychodrama, lithium level testing, and advanced treatments like recurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), commonly referred to as telepsychiatry.
Earlier this year, Dr. Lalavabalavu noted, the ministry completed the construction of a new fence behind the men’s ward to enhance security for the admission facility. Recent renovations have also been finished for the women’s ward, Moala ward, and the administrative building.
Significant improvements have included the resurfacing of the roads and the renovation of the car park on hospital grounds, which cost over $235,000. Dr. Lalavabalavu explained that the roads had gone without repair for many years, causing inconvenience for patients and damage to vehicles, as well as affecting staff living on the hospital premises.
Looking ahead, he mentioned that funding has been allocated for additional repair and renovation projects in the 2024-2025 financial year.