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Leonard Ncube-Victoria Falls Reporter
The establishment of Matabeleland North Province’s first drug and substance abuse rehabilitation centre in Victoria Falls got a boost after Government allocated ZiG185 million towards the purpose.
The facility will be housed at Mkhosana Clinic, which was previously used as a Covid-19 isolation centre.
It will include offices, a waiting area, and other amenities. The Victoria Falls City Council has partnered with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to implement the project, aimed at addressing the city’s significant drug abuse problem.
This initiative forms part of the Government’s broader strategy to combat the national drug abuse crisis, which has seen a rise in cases among youth aged 16 to 25.
The centre is a critical component of the Zimbabwe Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan (2024–2030), launched last year to tackle drug abuse through a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach.
Victoria Falls town clerk, Mr Ronnie Dube, welcomed the initiative, emphasising its importance in addressing the socio-economic challenges caused by drug abuse.
“This is a collaboration between the Government and the local authority. It is a very important development for us, as most of our youth are drowning in drugs, which makes them prone to diseases and affects productivity,” he said.
“We cannot continue being a nation drenched in drugs. As a local authority, we take the Government’s initiative seriously and commend it. We will have some inmates undergoing rehabilitation at the centre.”
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