St Giles Hospital

Drug Free World Fiji Founder, Kalesi Volatabu, urges illegal drug users to seek the help they need to break free from addiction.

Volatabu and her team resumed their rehabilitation services at Saint Giles Hospital yesterday, their first visit since the COVID-19 pandemic.

She observed significant changes at the facility and emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces for drug users to pursue healthier lifestyles.

Volatabu is pleased that her team is back at Saint Giles Hospital, especially now as the drug crisis threatens our nation.

She says she observed a dire need for change among those cared for at the facility.

“For them to sit together and look at each other and say ok what I am going through they are also going through. What we are doing is to create a safe space for them to open up and talk about what happened to them, what they are going through, and the trauma.”

The Founder of Drug-Free World Fiji calls for public support to create change in the lives of those already fighting addiction.

“First and foremost we need to remove the stigma, when we do this it makes it easy for them to come out. The other thing is if you are struggling right now and I know what’s it’s like when you think this is hopeless, this is my life, no it’s not, there is hope for everybody.”

Volatabu shared that during today’s meeting, people were open about their struggles to quit drugs. Some even revealed the street prices and locations where drugs are sold.