Medical students organise clothing drive for patients

Psychiatric consultant, Dr Sefanaia Qaloewai (back left), with the medical students currently doing psychiatry rotations at St Giles Psychiatric Hospital in Suva. They were part of the clothing drive.

Fourth year medical students from the Fiji National University School of Medicine are now organising a Clothing Drive for patients at the St Giles Psychiatric Hospital, Suva.

Group spokesperson, Josefa Lagicere said the initiative was inspired by their seniors who had done a Towel Drive for the patients last year. The idea was nurtured when the 16 medical students began their seven weeks Psychiatry Rotation attachment at the rehabilitation centre.

“While we began our rotation at St Giles, we noticed that most of the patients didn’t have family support, they didn’t have many visitors to supply them with clothes. They basically had to rely on the clothes supplied from St Giles,” Mr Lagicere said.

“Patients would be there for weeks and months and they would not have enough spare clothes; some even wearing the same clothes for weeks,” he said

“We decided to have this Clothing Drive to hopefully provide patients with some changes of clothing and with the unpredictable weather in Suva, at times they are without warm clothes.

“The hospital now has a limited supply of clothes as patients took the clothes with them when they are discharged.

“The drive is to hopefully restore clothes supply for future patients.

“We have two weeks left before we finish our rotation at the hospital and by Saturday, August 22, we will officially hand over all the clothes from the drive.

“While some patients are neglected by their families and society, we hope that this Clothing Drive will restore humanity back to them. Give the patients options to choose their clothes and address the stigma on mental health.”

The group is calling out to members of the public who wish to donate to contact either Mr Lagicere on 7639629 or Seitata Sauliga on 7640558.