More than 120 children and teenagers have been treated at St Giles Hospital for serious mental health conditions linked to drug use over the past five years, exposing what authorities describe as a growing and deeply troubling crisis.
Figures from the hospital show that the young patients — all aged 18 and below — were referred following significant incidents, many involving the courts and complex legal allegations.
Acting Superintendent Sheetal Singh said the number was alarming not only because of its scale, but because of the severity of the cases.
“In terms of the number of child and adult cases — meaning people who are 18 and below — the numbers we have seen in the past five years is approximately 120,” Dr Singh said.
“These are the ones who are coming to us with problems. They are being referred by court for psychiatric evaluation because they are into some legal allegations.”
According to Dr Singh, cases are becoming increasingly complex, with many young patients battling multiple disorders alongside substance abuse.
She explained that teenagers arriving at treatment facilities are often diagnosed with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia — but that is only part of the picture.
Many are also using a mix of substances, including methamphetamine (‘ice’), cannabis and marijuana, ketamine, glue and inhalants, kerosene and benzene, alcohol, heroin and cocaine.
The combination of psychiatric illness and poly-drug use significantly complicates treatment and recovery. The crisis extends beyond addiction and mental illness. Dr Singh warned that needle sharing and high-risk drug practices are leading to additional health emergencies, including HIV and tuberculosis infections among young users.
“For one centre to be able to attend to that patient completely – meaning addressing all the issues — it’s challenging.”
Healthcare providers now face the task of treating psychiatric conditions, substance dependency, infectious diseases, and social and legal complications — often all at once.
While the statistics are sobering, Dr Singh noted that increased awareness may also be contributing to higher reported cases.
“There is more awareness in the community, so people are more willing to come up and get help. Second is the rise in the number of drug cases.”
But even with improved awareness, officials say the trend signals a deeper social issue – one that demands urgent intervention from families, schools, law enforcement and health services alike.
Limited psychiatric beds – Singh
THE country’s only specialised psychiatric hospital is operating with just 120 beds to serve the entire nation — a figure health officials say underscores the mounting pressure on mental health services.
The Acting Superintendent St Giles Hospital, Sheetal Singh, says the hospital carries the bulk of Fiji’s inpatient mental health cases.
She said the facility’s capacity remained limited despite growing demand.
“Our bedding capacity at St Giles is 120 and that covers for the entire nation,” Dr Singh said.
While divisional hospitals provide some support, their capacity is minimal in comparison.
There are right beds in the stress ward at CWM Hospital, eight beds in the Western Division, and five beds at Labasa Hospital.
“These are the patients in the divisional hospitals that are taken care of if the risk to others is low, meaning they are more risk to themselves.”
The system, she said, is structured around risk assessment and admission to St Giles is not automatic.
“You need to have a huge change in your behaviour, meaning you are a threat to the community.”
She clarified that patients experiencing hallucinations or delusions are not always hospitalised.
“If I’m not acting on it, I might be having those delusions and hallucinations for decades then it’s okay, I can be nursed as an outpatient.”
However, once a person begins acting on those beliefs in ways that cause harm or public disturbance, intervention becomes immediate.
Patients admitted to St Giles are reviewed within 72 hours before longer-term inpatient orders are made
