Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Senior Reporter
Treasury has released ZiG800 million for the national drug and substance abuse response programme this year, part of which will be used to operationalise three new rehabilitation centres established in Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and Kwekwe.
With more than 70 percent of patients admitted in public mental health institutions being drug and substance abuse-related, there have been calls for the Government to increase the capacity of institutions to be able to meet the demand.
The establishment of the rehabilitation centres complements the roll out of measures aimed at addressing the drivers of the scourge, including supply of drugs and substances.
Addressing questions during the post-Cabinet briefing in Harare yesterday, Minister of Skills Audit and Development Professor Paul Mavima said the Drug and Substance Abuse Taskforce was now awaiting the release of the funds from Treasury to start programmes.
“We are now just waiting for the release of funds from the Treasury to kick-start our programmes, including for purposes of making sure that our new rehabilitation centres are resourced with equipment, the necessary staff and in cases where there is need for medication, they are also provided with medicines,” he said.
However, the amount allocated through this year’s National Budget is expected to be complemented by the private sector.
To this end, Prof Mavima said a high-level event would be held bringing together stakeholders from Government and private sector to support the national response.
“We have a whole-of-society approach so we have participants from the private sector, from the non-governmental sector, from churches, from traditional leaders in this task force and we want also to see the same representation in terms of the resources that are contributed in fighting against the demands of drug and substance abuse,” he said.
While the capacity of the three new rehabilitation centres was yet to be ascertained, the services to be provided were expected to reach thousands of people affected by the scourge.
The Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Drug and Substance Abuse was established to address issues of prevention, care, harm reduction, treatment, and law enforcement on the supply of drugs after over half of households identified drug and substance abuse as one of the major challenges affecting youths during the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said between September 1 last year and January 31 this year, 79 illegal drug bases were destroyed, with 9 527 offenders arrested.
“Of this total, 616 were suppliers while 8 911 were end users. Collaboration with the international law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of three people carrying 23 kilogrammes of dagga in Zambia. The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe conducted 117 inspections and closed five non-compliant premises,” he said.
To address some of the root causes of the scourge, he said 155 421 youth had benefited from vocational training programmes.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has also integrated drug and substance abuse into the school curriculums, reaching 7,2 million learners, while 62 656 students were engaged in prevention programmes through the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.
Through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, awareness programmes were conducted, reaching 111 537 people.
“The nation is also informed that the Ministry of Sport, Recreation and Arts engaged 11 836 participants in cultural and sports events, while religious organisations educated 16 759 congregants through sermons and awareness programmes. Entities such as Visionary Cadres Association of Zimbabwe and Mubatirapamwe reached over 2 130 people with drug abuse prevention messages.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services and partners enhanced rehabilitation programmes, serving 19 new patients in prison.
“The private sector and diaspora community are invited to invest in the establishment of rehabilitation centres,” Dr Muswere said.
He said that 13 695 people had received psycho-social support to assist with reintegration, while 886 individuals were reintegrated into their families.
At least 6 000 parents attended parenting sessions and 1 161 people were reached through the online support platform.
