Mosese Raqio 
[Photo: MINISTRY OF WOMEN/ FACEBOOK]
Fiji is facing a serious drug crisis, and children and youth are at the centre of it.
That was the strong message from Acting Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection Selina Kuruleca during the National Talanoa Session on Responding to Illicit Drugs in Fiji.
Kuruleca said the gathering of Government leaders, security forces, civil society, faith groups and youth representatives must be a turning point — not just another meeting.
Between May 2024 and May 2025, more than 2,400 drug-related cases were recorded, most involving people aged 18 to 35. Over 300 cases involved methamphetamine, including 50 juveniles. In the first half of 2025 alone, Fiji recorded 1,226 new HIV cases, many linked to unsafe drug injecting.
She stressed this is not only a crime issue, but a public health, child protection and justice crisis.
Kuruleca said many young people caught in drugs come from unsafe homes, trauma, violence, poverty and lack of support, with stigma preventing families from seeking help.
She called for trauma-informed training for police, teachers and social workers, certified rehabilitation workers, stronger child protection investigations, and science-based treatment standards in rehab centres.
Prevention, she said, must be the priority, keeping children in school, supporting families, expanding youth programmes and intervening early.
As Fiji prepares a 24-month Action Plan, Kuruleca urged all stakeholders to move from talk to action.
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