THE number of drug-related patients at the St Giles Hospital in Suva increased from an average of one to two cases per day in 2021 to at least eight cases per day in 2025.
Acting Superintendent Sheetal Singh revealed this during the Fiji Medical Association mini-conference, warning that the facility is currently only seeing the “tip of the iceberg”.
Dr Singh said the hospital primarily managed severe cases involving behavioural issues, legal implications, or individuals already within the justice system.
“The hospital is only focusing on the cases that are very much a problem to society,” she said.
Dr Singh noted that a significant number of vulnerable individuals, including students and working adults, were being missed as they turned to substance use to cope with pressures but have not yet reached crisis point.
“It has not become a problem as yet, so this kind of population is missed.”
Dr Singh also raised concern over an increasing number of young people dying before receiving medical attention, including cases of overdose leading to cardiac complications.
“There are many dead before arrival, there are many dead-on arrival, younger people,” she said.
Dr Singh urged medical professionals to strengthen early detection efforts, including the use of simple screening tools such as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), to identify and refer individuals before their condition worsened.
