Despite the growing drug crisis, Fiji does not yet have a dedicated residential recovery facility specifically designed for adolescents aged 13 to 17.
Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran highlighted this during the Na Sala Vou memorandum of agreement signing with Empower Pacific in Lautoka yesterday.
She said the ministry had been relying heavily on a referral-based model, adding that while its existing service providers worked tirelessly, the absence of a coordinated, adolescent-focused, multidisciplinary program had created critical gaps.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our national response to one of the most urgent social crises affecting Fiji – the rise of alcohol and other drug use among our children and adolescents,” Ms Kiran said.
“This memorandum of agreement between the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection and Empower Pacific is more than a partnership. It is a commitment to saving lives, restoring dignity, and giving our young people a genuine chance at a new beginning.
“Across Fiji, we are witnessing the devastating consequences of substance abuse.
“Alcohol and drug use are increasingly linked to mental health struggles, violence, self-harm, and in some tragic cases, heinous crimes committed under the influence.”
She said these were not isolated incidents but reflected a deeper national challenge that demands coordinated, compassionate, and evidence-based action.
“Two major contributing factors continue to fuel this crisis are the availability of drugs and breakdown of family values and parental guidance.
“Fiji’s position as a transit point for international drug trafficking has resulted in local overspill.”
The ministry is funding a drug rehabilitation centre in Simla, Lautoka to cater for the Na Sala Vou program for male teenagers between the ages of 13 to 17.
