There is stigma around the country when it comes to mental health and mental health issues, says Nadi-based private medical clinician Dr Krishan Naidu.
He noted this while noticing the many anxiety and insomnia cases presented to his clinic, from people who had lost their jobs and those who could not deal with the current health crisis.
“The stigma surrounding mental health was prevalent way before COVID, with COVID now in effect, this does not change the stigma issues,” he said.
“People still will not come forward – people do not know what options are available and the financial burden that comes with it.
“Some simply cannot afford to pay for private practitioners or purchase medication prescribed by private general practitioners.”
Dr Naidu said some patients presented to his clinic would share about the hardships they had gone through during this period.
He said there were patients who had already presented their mental health issues on the newly launched VUNIWAI app and they had directed them to proper channels that could help mend these issues.
