If any citizen sees somebody being ill‑treated they should intervene directly if they consider it safe to do so.
That is the comment from the Ministry of Health after questions were raised on mentally challenged patients being ill‑treated on the streets.
It stated that people should intervene regardless of what a person's mental state of mind would be.
It is not appropriate to assume that anybody who is living on the streets, who is begging or who appears to be behaving unusually in public, has a mental illness.
The Ministry says there should be no tolerance of abuse or inappropriate treatment on our streets or anywhere else, no matter who it is directed towards.
When asked if concerned citizens wish to bring to their notice should they see mentally challenged people being ill‑ treated, Ministry of Health said they should inform police about it.
Saint Giles Hospital is the only hospital that looks after mentally challenged people in Fiji.
It currently caters for 85 patients and has a total bed capacity of 98.
Amongst these 85 patients some are ‘on‑leave’ patients who go home for a short period of time but are not discharged.
