Fiji to establish first National Alcohol and Drug Recovery Centre funded by Korea - Health Minister

Fiji is set to take a major step in addressing the nation’s growing drug problem, with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services leading efforts to establish the country’s first National Alcohol and Drug Recovery Centre.

Speaking in parliament today, Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said the initiative marks a landmark effort to provide treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration services for those affected by substance use.

Dr Lalabalavu says the Ministry is partnering with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for the construction of a multi-million-dollar Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Suva.

He says the fully equipped, modern facility will take around five years to build and fit out, and that KOICA has completed feasibility studies, with final approval from the South Korean National Assembly anticipated in December.

Dr Lalabalabvu says once operational, the centre will offer clinical care and structured rehabilitation services, train healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, and psychologists, and run national awareness campaigns to promote prevention and early intervention.

He says it will also work closely with NGOs, families, and community groups to support the reintegration of rehabilitated individuals into society.

Dr Lalabalavu shared that the project will also include training of healthcare workers both in Korea and locally to build Fiji’s long-term capacity in rehabilitation services.

Dr Lalabalavu also confirmed that the Ministry is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Protection, sharing data and jointly supporting NGOs that deliver rehabilitation services.

He also noted that the Ministry of Health works closely with the Fiji Corrections Service under an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to assist with medical services for inmates who are drug users.

He says that in the long term, the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals could be incorporated into the broader framework of the national rehabilitation system.