Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
The St Giles Hospital at present has a lot of young people from across the country who have been affected by drug abuse.
Clinical nurse educator at St. Giles Hospital Loata Gucake states this during the opening of the central division week long drug awareness campaign currently underway in Laqere, Nasinu.
Gucake adds that the St Giles hospital is already at fully capacity, managing patients with mental conditions and those with drug addictions.
She notes that they have patients as young as 13 years being admitted to their care.
“The youngest age, 15, 13, gone are the days where we look after old age people. Because we are only on the receiving end, we receive people that come to us. That we are trying to be reactive to the issues that are happening nowadays.”
Clinical nurse educator at St. Giles Hospital Loata Gucake
Gucake says the hospital is not a rehab center, however due to the increased cases of drug abuse in the country the hospital has to take in individuals who are using drugs.
The rate of admission that are coming in now are significantly high, in 2022, the rate of admission for drug disorders were only at 193 while in 2023, it was 384, the St Giles nurse educator says that it is more than 100% increase in the rate of people coming in.
The St Giles nurse encouraged parents and guardians to bring along their children to such awareness campaigns and engage in dialogue to stop abuse.
