Assistant Minister for Women and Poverty Alleviation, Sashi Kiran says they will continue with their conversation and partnership with the St Giles Hospital and the Ministry of Health to look into the increasing challenges of mental health care in Fiji.
Kiran stated this when she met with the team at St Giles Hospital yesterday.
She says Superintendent Dr Balram Pandit and Dr Odille Chang, Associate Professor of Psychology at FNU approached them to discuss their issues.
The Assistant Minister adds 25 patients out of 82 have been rehabilitated, yet have no where to go as stigma attached to mental health remains a key concern.
She further adds their families have abandoned them, migrated or passed away.
Kiran says to protect these vulnerable from becoming street dwellers, St Giles Hospital continues to house them however there is extreme challenge of space.
She also says their chronic care facility is now being used by the Correction Services and another building sits on high risk of land slide.
The Assistant Minister adds they have committed to assisting the team find suitable safe homes for the rehabilitated patients.
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