CHILDREN as young as 10 are becoming trapped in drug addiction as Fiji confronts what Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran has described as an “unprecedented social and public health crisis”.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday last week, Ms Kiran said alcohol and substance abuse among children was contributing to rising mental health challenges, domestic violence, self-harm and violent crime.
“Most concerning of all, children as young as 10 years to 14 years of age, are now becoming trapped in the cycle of addiction,” she said.
She said Fiji’s position as a transit point for international trafficking networks had made highly addictive drugs, particularly methamphetamine, increasingly accessible to children.
Government records showed Fiji recorded 1501 illicit substance cases in 2020, including 100 involving methamphetamine and four involving cocaine.
Ms Kiran said the consequences extended beyond addiction, with youth mortality, crime, HIV transmission through shared needles and poor treatment outcomes emerging as major concerns.
She said Fiji had established its first dedicated residential recovery facility for adolescent boys aged 14 to 17.
Named Na Sala Vou, the Lautoka facility was established in partnership with Empower Pacific to provide young people with a safe and structured environment to recover.
“This represents a monumental milestone and a powerful statement of our belief that every child deserves a second chance, that recovery is possible, and that healing is our collective responsibility.”
Ms Kiran said Government was also establishing a specialised rehabilitation facility for street-connected children in Suva.
