Real need to set up a drug rehab centre in Fiji, I know the pain as a parent – Pastor Tugi

An urgent call is being made to set up a drug rehabilitation Centre in the country, and Fiji Council of Churches General Secretary, Pastor Simione Tugi says he knows the real need for this as his daughter is also a victim.

While speaking during the panel discussion after the showing of the film Mana over Meth at the Pacific Human Rights Film Festival, Fiji Council of Churches General Secretary Pastor Tugi says the Council is working with the government to set up a drug rehabilitation centre in Fiji.

He says the government will provide the facilities and they will provide the programs.

Pastor Tugi says this is new in Fiji as we do not have such programs where the drug residue that remains in a person’s body after leaving drugs are drained out.

He says they are going to send their recruited staff to South Africa for training on how to deal with the facility itself.

Pastor Tugi says the last part of the program is how to integrate the patient back into the community where he or she comes from since these patients are left out by their own families when they have drug problems.

He adds it is a very painful experience for him as a parent, and his daughter is the reason why he stands up everywhere and talks to the government to do something about drugs.

Pastor Tugi says he knows the pain of a parent waiting for their children’s call to pick them up from the Police Station or the calls from the Police for him to head to the Police Station to identify his daughter.

He says that is painful to see because he does not want to see everybody in Fiji, especially young children go through the same process.

Pastor Tugi says that sometimes there is a breakdown in the family unit and there is a lot of education needed in Fiji, especially for the parents, and the community itself.

He also says it is very important for the churches to get involved with the rehabilitation.

Pastor Tugi says the stigma in Fiji is quite different as most people really isolate themselves from these drug addicts and this is where we need a lot of awareness.