DOMESTIC violence, though rarely reported, is a hidden crisis threatening mothers in the North.
Labasa Hospita’s chief medical officer for obstetrics and gynaecology Dr Saiasi Caginidaveta said the warning signs were often there but many were missed.
“That is a big challenge here, we don’t always zoom into that area of domestic violence, but we know it’s happening,” he said.
Dr Caginidaveta said women sometimes showed signs of fear or anxiety during hospital stays.
“You see it in how eager they are to go home sometimes it’s not normal.’
He admitted there’s still a gap in how these cases were handled.
“We may lack in this area. We need to probe more to find out what’s going on behind the scenes.”
When abuse was suspected, he said, the hospital usually reached out to Social Welfare, and in serious cases, the police ware involved. “We have to protect these women. Sometimes, saving a life isn’t just about medicine. It’s about seeing the pain no one talks about.”
