Early intervention key to preventing suicide spike, says PS
Kuruleca calls for more mental health first aid and community training
Wednesday 16 September 2026 | 14:00
Permanent secretary for Justice and National Committee on the Prevention of Suicide co-chair Selina Kuruleca.
Permanent Secretary for Justice and National Committee on the Prevention of Suicide co-chair Selina Kuruleca has warned against complacency over Fiji's suicide figures.
Ms Kuruleca said more mental health support was urgently needed before the festive season when cases traditionally rise.
She said Fiji needed more trained community members capable of recognising mental health concerns and encouraging people to seek help before their situations worsened.
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“Right now, I don't want to say it's stable, but it's sort of flattened out. But we're also halfway through the year, and during Christmas, during the big holiday season, this is where we usually see spikes,” she said.
While suicide figures have remained relatively steady this year, Ms Kuruleca said the country must continue strengthening its mental health capacity and support networks.
Police reports show Fiji has recorded 61 suicide cases so far this year, compared with 63 during the same period last year. Attempted suicide cases have fallen to 28, down from 49 during the corresponding period last year.
She said the festive season often brings added pressures on families, including financial strain, household responsibilities and interpersonal conflict.
“There's a spike in suicide rates in festive season, because that's a season everybody's together, and everybody's doing a lot of things.”
Ms Kuruleca said suicide prevention efforts must extend beyond health facilities and reach schools and communities before people reach crisis point.
“It's important that while we're having that it's stable, we continue to encourage help-seeking behaviours.”
She called for increased investment in mental health first aid, psychological first aid and basic counselling training.
“We need a lot of training, we need capacity building, and we need students and youth who want to go and train in mental health and youth advocacy.”
She said trained community members could play a critical role in spotting changes in behaviour early and connecting vulnerable individuals with appropriate support services.
Despite the decline in attempted suicide cases, Ms Kuruleca said the figures should not create a false sense of security.
She added that continued community support, awareness and early intervention would be vital as Fiji moves closer to the year-end holiday period.
