The Ministry of Health is set to establish a new facility at St Giles Psychiatric Hospital to enhance mental health services. During a presentation on the hospital’s renovations in Parliament on Thursday, Health Minister Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalavabalavu announced that the facility will offer specialized services, including addiction psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and telepsychiatry.
The minister indicated that the ministry is seeking collaboration with partners and donor organizations to assist in the establishment of the new facility, which aims to implement the latest treatment methods and improve mental health services nationwide. The proposed facility will expand the hospital’s capabilities to include not only addiction and adolescent psychiatry but also old age psychiatry.
Additionally, it will provide specialized services such as group therapy, psychodrama, lithium level testing, recurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation, and electroconvulsive therapy, commonly referred to as telepsychiatry.
Dr. Lalavabalavu mentioned that earlier this year, the ministry constructed a new security fence behind the men’s ward to enhance the safety of the admission facility. He noted that recent renovations have been completed in the women’s ward, Moala ward, and administrative building, which are now occupied.
Other significant improvements include the sealing of roads and renovations to the hospital car park, costing over $235,000. These repairs were necessary as the roads had not been maintained for a number of years, causing discomfort for visitors and damage to vehicles, as well as to staff who work and reside on the hospital grounds.
Looking ahead, the ministry has also secured funding for further repair and renovation projects at the hospital in the 2024-2025 financial year.