30pc Ingutsheni patients from Plumtree town

ABOUT 30 percent of patients admitted to Ingutsheni Central Hospital are said to be from Plumtree town where authorities say there are higher levels of drug and substance abuse.

Specialist psychiatrist at Ingutsheni Central Hospital, Dr Loveness Ndebele, said some of the drug abuse cases at the border town could cause permanent damage to the brain while others lead to increased suicide cases.

Dr Ndebele said this on Sunday during a public drug awareness campaign organised by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Plumtree.

“Plumtree is hard hit by the drug problem contributing about 20-30 percent of patients to Ingutsheni. There are three common drugs associated with Plumtree, with skunk at the top,” he said.

“Skunk is taken along with three other drugs. This drug causes epilepsy and dizziness, which leads to one falling down. To avoid falling and dizziness, abusers are then forced to take the ngoma (Broncleer, a potent cough syrup) drug.

“People who take this drug tend to hear imaginary voices, which may lead one to commit suicide. To shut out these voices, those who use this drug are forced to take another drug called Diazepam,” said Dr Ndebele.

“It also blocks one from visiting the toilet for about 3-4 days. They then use another very dangerous drug called hashish, which shuts the part of the brain for breathing and shuts the respiratory centre of the brain, which may lead to death,”

Dr Ndebele said another commonly abused drug in Plumtree is nyaope, which illicitly enters the border town from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

She said Ingutsheni was overwhelmed by drug and substance abusers with some of the victims suffering permanent damage to the brain.

“There is no nutritional benefit from these drugs and some of them cause permanent damage. A drug like skunk damages the brain permanently despite the fact that one may recover from its addiction.

“Damage to the brain cannot be healed hence such a person will have to take expensive drugs for life. The prescription we give costs between US$20-50 per month, hence it is better to prevent,” said Dr Ndebele.

She said people who go to rehabilitation first have to pass through Ingutsheni Central Hospital so that they are examined for rehabilitation to be effective.

Dr Ndebele said the psychiatric institution has attended to children as young as eight years old from primary school level who are victims, emphasising the need for parents to be very vigilant.

“The last drug, which is a challenge here and Bulawayo is called hot-spotting or bluetooth. They use syringes to draw blood from a drunk person and inject it into their blood stream,” said Dr Ndebele.

“They don’t have time to sterilise these needles, which exposes them to HIV and Hepatitis. What I am talking about is what I see at work. We should combine efforts and say no to drugs.”

Speaking at the same event, SDA Church South Zimbabwe Conference secretary, Dr Thamsanqa Ndlovu, said it was crucial for people to take a stand against drugs saying the evil forces were these to destroy communities. —@themkhust