The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) has intensified the war against alcohol, drug and substance abuse.
This is after the authority signed a deal with faith-based organisations in the country to accelerate the fight against the vices.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Nacada and the Association of Pentecostal and Evangelical Clergy of Kenya (APECK).
The MoU was signed by Nacada Ag CEO John Muteti and APECK CEO Geoffrey Gichuki at the official residence of the Deputy President in Karen.
The spouse of the Deputy President Pastor Dorcas Rigathi who doubles up as the APECK patron witnessed the signing of the MoU.
Through the MoU, APECK will lead the campaign against alcohol and drug abuse through advocacy, rehabilitation, and mobilisation at the grassroots.
The association will also help in suppressing the supply of illicit brews and drugs through reporting and joint campaigns with Nacada.
“Those addicted to drugs are our children, and we must work hard to make sure that the dreams of our children are revalidated,” Pastor Dorcas said.
“Let us open the doors of our mosques, churches, and temples and make our places of worship safe havens for the vulnerable,” she added.
Muteti said the authority will share technical expertise with APECK and train clergy, Sunday school teachers and counselors on the detection and control of substance abuse.
It also supports community-based and education programmes targeting persons with alcohol and drug abuse disorders among stakeholders.
The Nacada boss emphasised the need for community-based rehabilitation, saying formal rehabilitations were very expensive and would not be sufficient for the many who need rehabilitation.
“We can replicate home-based and community-based rehabilitation across the country. Taking someone to a formal rehab is very expensive, to the tune of Sh100, 000 for the three-month duration, and this is the cheapest rate,” Muteti said.
Muteti gave an example of a community based model of rehabilitation working in Githunguri, Kiambu County.
He said the authority seeks to replicate the same in other parts of the country what he termed as homegrown solutions that work through the use of local technology.
“We are leveraging the capabilities of our competitive advantages so we can achieve more than the sum total of our individual efforts,” Gichuki said.
Archbishop Gerry Kibarabara urged the church to support the great cause of restoring a generation.
