Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
A GWERU based mental and drug rehabilitation centre is facing an uncertain future as it is left with essentials enough for just two weeks in the wake of a rise in patients who require therapy due to drug and substance abuse.
Located about 12 kilometres outside the city of Gweru is Queen of Peace, a mental and rehabilitation centre, which has been facing a tough task of taking in teenagers and adults from the streets for purposes of rehabilitation who have increased the burden on their day to day essential needs.
The country has been experiencing a sharp rise in children and teenagers resorting to drugs with officials also admitting that issues of mental health in adults are also on the increase.
Apart from an increase of inmates from around 40 to around 60 from the end of last year, the institution’s new burden is a lack of the usual donor assistance from the corporate world who seem to have forgotten the critical institution.
In an interview, Queen of peace mental and rehabilitation centre vice board chairperson Mr Berrington Mutembedza said the sharp increase in the number of teenagers resorting to drug and substance abuse has become a huge burden for the mental and drug rehabilitation institution.
“Queen of peace is facing an uncertain future amid indications that the centre is left with essentials that are enough for two weeks.
“The number of youths who are hooked on drugs has risen to alarming levels amid a proportionate increase in the number of adults suffering from mental health,” he said.
Mr Mutembedza said the centre can’t turn any patient away despite the challenges.
“We are in a catch 22 situation with regards to our essentials.
Our budget has been strongly affected.
While we have seen some of our patients leaving the institution after being rehabilitated, the influx of those from the street is worrying.
The corporate world has not been forthcoming as they used to do in the past.
We are just hoping that someone out there might ensure that we don’t completely run out of food,” he said.
Mr Mutembedza said Queen of peace recently acquired land for expansion from the Government hoping to decongest the centre.
He said the process of working on infrastructural projects will start once funding is available.
“The fact that our numbers are growing means our space for providing shelter is getting smaller and smaller.
We now have a situation where some boys and girls are now sharing the same dormitories and these are growing up and we fear that we might end up with bigger problems,” said Mr Mutembedza.
He said Queen of Peace Mental Centre which recently expanded to become a drug and substance rehabilitation centre has become a safe haven for people seeking such services in a home-like environment in the Midlands province after such patients previously relied on hospitals for such services.
Mr Mutembedza said the centre is aimed at improving mental health through promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.
By fostering moral, social and economic development, the children are making mats, fruit baskets, bins and hand bags mostly from waste they pick from the streets.
“Unfortunately the market for the products by the children is difficult and at the end of the day, we are forced to look for well-wishers so that we have money for their upkeep,” he said.
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