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Zimbabwe steps up the fight against dramatic rise in drug abuse
Zimbabwe is in the grip of a growing crisis as substance abuse rips through communities, with young people in the eye of the storm.
"The current situation is that we have 57 percent of all mental health institutions admissions being attributed to drug use," says Wilson Box, head of the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network – an organisation working in eight of the country's 10 provinces to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
"In our communities you find that for every four houses, in one house there is drug peddling. Among these we also have new sedative substances in the form of illicit brews that are very potent and nobody really knows the content of these illicit brews.'
Box adds that the problem shows no sign of slowing down.
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Personal struggles
Many young people in the country say they turn to drugs because of personal difficulties, including unemployment and poverty.
Tawanda Murepa, who leads the Young People Mental Health Trust in Harare, says that stigma remains a major issue, as it prevents young people from speaking openly about their problems and seeking help.
He believes the best approach is to show them the dangers of drug use, but with care and understanding
"Turning away once you have started will differ from person to person depending on a number of factors, such as the resilience of the person as based on their mindset, their genetics, the period of usage of the drug," he said.
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"The amount and quality and quantity of drug as well as the damage caused and so on, all determine the level of dependency. So we say it is not good to start on drugs at all. We should just talk about how people should not start on drugs whatever problems they have in life."
Tawanda also says that rehabilitation should be the final option for treatment. Once a person reaches that stage, the process can go either way – they may succeed or suffer a relapse.
A journey to recovery
However, there are success stories.
Givas Chirinda is 26. He started using drugs in 2011 but has not used any substances for the past three years. Today, he helps other young people in Harare understand the risks of drug abuse. He encourages those already involved to stop, because, as he says, he knows it is possible.
"You do not need to use threats or frightening language," he said. "Approach those who are using drugs by acknowledging the problem. If one used 10 stars [a drug measure] for example, talk to them and say OK, why not try and reduce to nine and lets see what happens and go down to. say, six and see what happens..."
He believes the root cause behind drug use must also be addressed to prevent relapse.
'Most young people get into drugs due to idleness and unemployment," he said. "So if at all possible it is a good idea that young people are assisted to become engaged in self-help projects such as chicken rearing and goat keeping and so on... This would go a long way [towards] keeping them away from drugs, and give them a sense of purpose."
Detox and aftercare
Sister Hendrina Chitsama is a medical professional working in drug rehabilitation. She explains that many drug users try to quit on their own, without going through detox or proper treatment.
"Detoxification is incredibly important and it's more than just a medical procedure – it is a psychological and emotional reset," she said.
"After someone turns away from drugs, their body still carries an imprint of addiction. Detoxification helps cleanse the system but more crucially it opens the door to real healing. You cannot build a new foundation on a toxic residue. That is why detoxification is the starting line, not the finish line."
Government roadmap
With the drug problem worsening, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa this month launched a campaign to raise more than USD $77 million to fight drug and substance abuse.
This follows the creation of a committee of officials to lead the response. The plan also includes identifying more than 60 centres across the country to support rehabilitation efforts.
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Stakeholders believe this campaign could make a real difference – if implemented well.
They have stressed the need in Zimbabwe to strengthen law enforcement in order to break drug supply chains.
Other measures being called for are improved rehab facilities – and to stop the practice of treating drug users alongside mental health patients – as well as tackling the stigma around addiction, training more health professionals in addiction management and the provision of detoxification medication.
