Stigma around mental health still lingers within the Fijian Society - PM

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says while the treatment and methods used by St. Giles Hospital have certainly changed compared to the past, unfortunately, the stigma around mental health still lingers within Fijian Society.

While officiating at the declaration of the Drug and Alcohol Unit at St Giles Hospital, Bainimarama says some people on social media undermine the life-saving work of St.Giles.

Bainimarama says these people must not be the people to guide our national dialogue on mental health.

He says he has great hope for the expansion of mental health services in Fiji adding as the years go on, the stigma of this disorders continues to fade, we will also benefit from a younger generation that is more aware and more passionate than ever about combating this conditions.

Bainimarama says that St.Giles has been treating patients for the past 135 years and in its beginning, it served as an asylum housing patients to live out the rest of their days in isolation.

The Prime Minister says thankfully as the world came to better understand mental health disorders, the treatment at St.Giles has evolved to become much better, much humane and hopeful.