29 May 2021

Fiji warned of mental health epidemic

From Pacific Waves

Fiji health authorities are being warned of a mental health epidemic running parallel to the country's community outbreak of Covid-19.

The country has seen a surge in cases in the past week pushing the national tally over 200 with 4 people who have died from the virus so far.

Local authorities are carrying out targetted lockdowns of affected areas and have ramped up testing to try and get ontop of the outbreak.

But a leading expert on mental health and suicide prevention in Fiji - phschotherapist, Selina Kuruleca, warns authorities need to also step up their efforts on mental health.

She was speaking on Friday on Twitter Talanoa a daily twitterspace talk hosted by our correspondent in Fiji Lice Movono who joins me now.

Bula Lice, so some important issues being raised by Selina Kuruleca?

This photo from April shows shoppers in Suva's fish market preparing for a lockdown in late April.

Photo: AFP

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