PESHAWAR: Despite decades old efforts by official and non-governmental organizations against the curse of drug addiction, number of drug addicts are increasing alarmingly in the provincial metropolis and other parts of the province.
Drug addicted people sitting in groups under the separate bridges of different places on road sides in the city busy in using different kinds of intoxicating drugs.
When contacted Directorate of Social Welfare department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the concerned official told APP that their department was working in this regard since 2004.
He said that the number of drug addicted people was increasing due to presence of Afghan Refugees, poverty and unemployment.
Social Welfare department was working in five districts of KP including Peshawar, Kohat, Swat, Dir Lower and Dera Ismail Khan, adding they have rehabilitated 1250 drug addicts only in Peshawar.
He said that they have detoxification center in Peshawar with the capacity of only 30 beds and lack others facilities. He told that due to shortage of beds they discharge patients after providing them treatment for 45 days to two months.
He informed that they need the assistance of big hospitals and meeting has been done with some hospitals to work with close coordination. He informed that they have formed committees including officials of police, anti narcotics, social societies, Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Al-khidmat Foundation, Dost Foundation and Caritas foundation.
He said addicts are using drug openly and even children knew that from where they would get contraband.
Karkhano market is the main point where all kinds of drugs were easily available. He informed that 11% people using drugs in KP and 6.5% in Punjab and Sindh.
Aizaz Khan of Dost Welfare Foundation, a non government organization working on the issue since 1992, when contacted informed that currently they have 500 beds in four treatment and rehabilitation centers, two in Hayatabad while two in Shahi Bala, here at Peshawar.
Dost Foundation was committed to provide needs based and right based service in drug demand reduction. He told that they treated every patient from any part of the province here at Peshawar.
He informed that that 24,764 drug addicts were provided residential, home based treatment and rehabilitation centers. About 35,403 community activists provided primary prevention services while 7,210 religious leaders and community elders sensitized and mobilized for drug demand reduction.
A drug addict, Farhad 18 years old, sitting under Malik Saad Shahid flyover told APP that he belongs to Charsada and using drug from the last two years.
He told that he started drugs after the death of his mother. He said that they were three brothers but the elder one was mentally upset. He said that he was ready to leave drug addiction if he gets any kind of job.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.