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The day was marked with an awareness campaign at Ingutsheni Central Hospital.
Schoolchildren from around the city, youths and staff from the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare attended the event.
Youths, some of them of school-going age, are being treated at the psychiatric hospital for mental disturbances due to drug and substance abuse.
The Government Medical Officer at Ingutsheni, Dr Parirenyatwa Maramba, said although no concrete statistics had been compiled, the hospital was recording an increase in the number of mentally disturbed youths being admitted.
“We are targeting youths at schools and surrounding communities.
“The campaign is meant to raise awareness among young people because many of them are mentally ill because of drug abuse,” he said.
Dr Maramba said the widely abused was mbanje and alcohol. Most of those coming for treatment would be showing signs of side effects of these drugs.
“There are no statistics as such because no specific research has been done which means there might be many cases of drug abuse that are going unnoticed in schools and communities hence the need for such awareness campaigns,” said Dr Maramba.
“Sometimes we get children as young as 15 years and that is a serious problem we are facing as a community.
The day is commemorated worldwide on 26 June to raise awareness on drug and substance abuse as well as drug trafficking.
Online Reporter