This must rank among the top news stories of the day.
The revelation that a new rehabilitation hospital for drug addicts will be built in Tamavua over the next two years will no doubt raise a lot of interest. We finally have a timeframe! That is significant!
The announcement comes as the Ministry of Health moves to strengthen its response to drug addiction and the mounting pressures on mental health services.
For years, concerns have been raised about the devastating impact of illicit drugs on people, families and communities.
The Fiji Times has been advocating this now for more than four years.
On June 7, 2024, we wrote: “After three years of pushing for this, we are now anticipating that it’s ‘all systems go’ for rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in the country.”
At the time, Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu confirmed there were plans to build drug rehabilitation centres in Fiji.
The issue gained urgency after Fiji College of General Practitioners president Dr Rajesh Maharaj pleaded with Government to construct rehabilitation centres as soon as possible, warning that the drug situation had become a national emergency.
In April that same year, we again acknowledged Government for embracing the call for a rehabilitation centre.
There were encouraging signs. Jessica Brown, ambassador for the United States-based Foundation for a Drug-Free World, met Government officials to discuss awareness programs in schools and plans to establish a professional rehabilitation facility in the country.
We have consistently supported this campaign because at its heart are people. They are sons, daughters, and parents who are struggling to break free from addiction. They need hope. They need structured support. They need professional care that can help restore some semblance of order and dignity to their lives.
As Ms Brown pointed out in 2024, many addicts find it nearly impossible to quit on their own. Addiction is not just a matter of willpower. It is a complex health issue that requires medical, psychological and social intervention.
Left unaddressed, it fuels a host of associated problems, and they range from crime, prostitution, the spread of HIV, broken families and poverty, to name a few.
This is why collaboration is critical. Government cannot tackle this alone. Health professionals, law enforcement agencies, faith-based organisations, community leaders and civil society must work together for the common good. Rehabilitation must go hand in hand with prevention, education and enforcement.
We acknowledge and appreciate Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa for confirming the development during World Leprosy Day commemorations at Tamavua Twomey Hospital.
“There’s a new rehabilitation hospital that will be coming up,” Mr Ravunawa said. Those words will resonate with many families who have been waiting anxiously for some action.
The announcement comes in the face of concern over illicit drug use and the strain on existing mental health services, including St Giles Hospital, Fiji’s only psychiatric facility.
The pressure on St Giles has long highlighted the need for expanded and specialised services.
In saying that, we believe a timeframe alone is not enough. There must be genuine urgency behind the promise. Drug addiction will not pause while plans are drawn and budgets are debated. Every day, more people fall victim. Every day, families are torn apart. Every day, the social and economic costs mount.
We should be grateful a timeframe has finally been set. But, we say, gratitude must be matched with vigilance. Our challenge now is to hold the powers that be accountable, to ensure this rehabilitation hospital becomes a reality within the promised two years and is properly resourced, professionally staffed and accessible to those who need it most.
We have to be serious about confronting the drug crisis. That means this facility must stand as a symbol of hope, commitment and decisive action!
