Only three cases of postpartum depression were recorded at Saint Giles Hospital over a five-year period, while a recent study conducted between Lami and Nasinu found that one in three mothers interviewed showed signs of the condition within the first year after giving birth.
Principal Investigator of the Voice of Mothers Research and Vice President of the Fiji Medical Association, Dr Alipate Vakamocea says information received from Saint Giles Hospital showed that 17 postpartum patients were recorded over five years, with only three identified as suffering from postpartum depression.
Dr Vakamocea says access to psychiatrists is essential for treating depression and other mental health conditions, but Fiji has only three psychiatrists nationwide, with just one registered specialist working within the Ministry of Health.
He says the findings of their research highlight significant gaps in maternal mental health services, including limited support at some maternal and child health clinics, unclear referral pathways and a shortage of trained mental health professionals.
He says 325 mothers who had delivered at the CWM Hospital were interviewed for the study, which covered maternal and child health clinics from Lami to Nasinu.
Dr Vakamocea says research also found that about 12 percent of mothers were at higher risk of experiencing postpartum depression.
He says the study also found that mothers living in households earning less than $500 a month had five times the risk of postpartum depression, while those without adequate support at home had six times the risk.
The research further revealed that one in three mothers reported conflict or tension at home, while one in four experienced emotional, financial, verbal or physical abuse.
One in five mothers also did not know where to seek help for domestic violence.
Dr Vakamocea stresses that poverty and domestic violence are among the wider social issues contributing to maternal mental health challenges and cannot be addressed by the health sector alone.
