• The survey will help develop the appropriate intervention measures to fight drugs abuse in the county.
• It will also help establish the most abused substances and map areas most affected.
Nacada will conduct a survey in Murang’a county to establish the level of addiction among locals, the authority's CEO Victor Okioma has said.
The survey will help develop the appropriate intervention measures to fight drugs abuse in the county.
It will also help establish the most abused substances and map areas most affected.
Okioma said the county faces serious challenges of addiction to alcohol and drugs and that the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse will partner with the county government to fight it.
He spoke when he toured the county government run Kambirwa Rehabilitation centre, which will be re-established to treat addicts.
The centre was established in 2015 when the county rehabilitated over 1,000 youths who were affected by the countywide crackdown on illicit and second generation liquor.
Nacada will also enhance the capacity of county officials to help them efficiently fight drugs and treat addicts.
The centre will start admissions in a week’s time and has the capacity to accommodate 1,000 addicts.
Okioma said Murang’a leaders had appealed for help to fight drug abuse during a meeting with National Development Implementation and Communication Committee chairman CS Fred Matiang’I last week.
“We have agreed on the areas of partnership with the county government to fight this menace,” Okioma said.
He noted that 12.2 percent of Kenyans are addicted to alcohol, eight per cent to tobacco, while 1 per cent is hooked on cocaine, which he said has devastating and sometimes irreversible effects.
About 10 percent of alcohol addicts have mental illnesses, with the Central region being the worst affected, closely followed by Kisii.
Bhang, however, is the most abused narcotic in the country, with about 7.8 percent of secondary school students abusing it.
“Nacada has been working with security agents to impound huge consignments of bhang coming from Ethiopia, which is the main source. We once got a consignment worth Sh19 million in Marsabit,” he said.
He appealed to county governments to be on the frontline in the fight against drugs and alcoholism by limiting the accessibility of addictive substances, including limiting the operating hours for bars.
He also cautioned parents against consuming alcohol in their homes, saying it sets a bad precedence for children.
Health CEC Joseph Mbai said Kambirwa Rehabilitation Centre has highly experienced staff.
Mbai said the county will adopt a multi-agency approach to reach out to all addicts and establish a psychosocial support team.
He, however, expressed concerns over the high numbers of youths addicted to alcohol and drugs in the county.
He said over 90 per cent of the people admitted in the mental ward at Murang’a Level 5 Hospital are addicts.
“We recently had a young man who slashed his father and he stayed in the ICU for two months. The youth later confessed that he started using drugs at 13 years and was introduced by an uncle,” he said.
County Commissioner Mohamed Barre said the high levels of addiction have adversely affected security and contributed to sexual offences.
He challenged locals to stop considering bars as their business of choice and invest in other ventures that do not afflict children.
“Let them know that there are better businesses than bars and better drinks than beer,” he said.
Edited by EKibii