Beitbridge seeks investors to set up rehab centres

Zim Now Writer

The Beitbridge community has called for the pooling of resources towards the construction of rehabilitation facilities for youths who get hooked up in drug and substance abuse. This comes as cases of drug and substance abuse are rising in the country with very serious consequences at times.

The most common abused drugs and substances in Beitbridge include; crystal meth, droshky, chimusoja, cocaine, glue, bron-cleer and embalming powder.

These drugs and substances have resulted in various conditions in those who use them such as common serious mental disorders associated with chronic drug abuse include; schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, manic depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), generalised anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder among others.

Beitbridge East National Assembly Member Albert Nguluvhe said the community was seriously concerned with the rampant cases of drug peddling in the border town.

“The level of crime, especially domestic violence and the abuse of drugs, is a cause for concern and reducing such activities in the town requires local leaders to enter into a social contract with all role players,” he said.

“So, we have had with some local stakeholders, and agreed that while we fight this scourge of drugs peddling and abuse, we must also encourage some investor or those with financial muscle to set up at least one rehabilitation centre. The facility will then cater for those people who are already affected and addicted to the use of drugs”.

Recently, Ingutsheni Psychiatric Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr Nemache Mawere also noted that Bulawayo has a high number of mental health patients owing to drug abuse and gender-based violence.

He said about 90 percent of its patients in the acute wards at the facility are admitted for alcohol and substance abuse with over 2 000 more with the same problem being attended to as outpatients.

“The issue of substance abuse is the biggest we have in Bulawayo and beyond. Ninety percent of male patients have substance related problems,” said Dr Mawere, adding that the problem has grown so big that the hospital needs to decentralise treatment to local clinics in communities.