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Daniel Chigunwe Herald Correspondent
A Zimbabwean delegation from the Ministries of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe is participating at the Third Inter-sessional Meeting- Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria.
The delegation outlined the progress made in fulfilling the Pledge for Action made earlier this year.
During the 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in March 2024, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazemba made three pledges towards addressing the world drug problem.
These are decommissioning of Covid-19 isolation facilities in each of the 10 provinces into comprehensive drug treatment, rehabilitation and recovery facilities for individuals with substance abuse disorders, establishing a National Drug and Substance Agency and allocating a minimum of
US$1,5 million towards the Nation’s Drug and Substance Abuse programmes for 2024.
Presenting the progress report on behalf of the delegation, the director of Strategic Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Mr Mike Masaka noted major strides that have so far been taken towards the realisation of the three pledges.
“A total of 10 facilities have been identified, one per province. Of the 10 facilities two are operational, and five have recently been assessed and are due to open end of November 2024,” he said.
“The operational ones are Chipadze Detox and Rehabilitation Centre in Bindura, Mashonaland Central Province and Kwekwe Rehabilitation Centre in Kwekwe, Midlands Province.
“The five centres due for operationalisation are Tendai Ward in Harare Metropolitan Province; Dzimwe Youth Centre in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central Province; Lobengula Clinic in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province; Tabudirira Clinic in Mutoko, Mashonaland East Province; and Mfelandawonye in Victoria Falls, Matebeleland North Province.
“Resource mobilisation from both the Government of Zimbabwe and partners continue to be intensified and strengthened for the rehabilitation and renovation of the identified facilities.”
He also indicated that a draft National Drug and Substance Abuse Control Agency Bill has been formulated following the approval by the Cabinet of the principles for the establishment of the agency.
“The draft bill is undergoing finalisation by the Attorney General’s Office for presentation to the National Committee and Cabinet Committee on Legislation (CCL) and then to Cabinet and Parliament. Once passed, it will then establish and operationalise the agency,” he said.
“The pledged US$ 1.5 million to support 2024 Drug and Substance Abuse programmes was allocated by the Treasury, and all the seven pillars of the National Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse continue to implement responsive strategies towards the menace. “However, resource mobilisation is ongoing towards the operationalisation of the recently launched Zimbabwe Multi-Sectoral National Action Plan on Drug and Substance Abuse (2024-2030).”
The session which started on November 12 is ending on Thursday.
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