Public-private partnerships urged to devise drug abuse prevention plans

PESHAWAR: The speakers urged public-private partnership to devise specialised drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes.

They were speaking at a function arranged by the Dost Welfare Foundation to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The event was chaired by Tariq Mehmood, Project Manager, DOST Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) Programme. He highlighted the importance of stakeholders participation and the continuation of the joint efforts for drug demand reduction and harm reduction in society.

The speakers stressed primary prevention and public awareness to stop the growing drug abuse in Pakistan and in particular Khyber Pakhtunkhwa among youth. They said the KP was always at the risk of falling victim to drugs abuse due to mass production of narcotics in Afghanistan which is the largest narcotics producer in the world with an estimated global opiate market share of 60-70 percent.

Drug Use in Pakistan 2013 UNODC report reveals a considerable proportion of Pakistan’s population aged 15 to 64 suffer from the devastating consequences of substance abuse. The report estimates that six per cent - or 6.7 million adults in Pakistan - used drugs in the previous year. The majority of drug users fell between 25 and 39 years of age.

Although 4.25 million individuals are considered to be drug dependent, treatment and specialist interventions are in short supply, available to less than 30,000 drug users a year. Of these drug users 80 per cent were men and 20 per cent women, who were less likely to have received drug treatment than men.

The report says KP had the highest prevalence of any drug use at 11 per cent whereas Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan reveal levels of 6.5, 4.8, and 5.1 percent respectively. Estimated over 3 million people out of 30 million people in KP are using any kind of drug effecting over 8 family members who are termed co-addicts.

DOST providing drug treatment and rehabilitation services in Peshawar to drug addicted children and adult. It has 500 bedded facilities for adult male, female and drug addicted children in Peshawar.

The speakers suggested to the government to establish centres in high affected population areas with support of civil society. They said DOST had the professional capacity to facilitate the government in establishing centers.

The speakers urged public private partnerships to devise specialized drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes to prevent the raise in prevalence. At the end of the programme a walk was arranged for public awareness by the all stakeholders and the community.