Bulawayo, (New Ziana)- Bulawayo Metropolitan Province has intensified the fight against drug and substance abuse through increased enforcement, awareness and rehabilitation programmes under Zimbabwe’s National Drug and Substance Abuse Plan 2024-2028, an official has said.
This was said by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Judith Ncube, while giving an update on interventions to combat drug and substance abuse in the province on Monday, where she said government and stakeholders were intensifying coordinated efforts to curb the growing menace affecting communities, particularly youths.
“The province continues to scale up efforts aimed at addressing the challenge of drug and substance abuse through strengthened coordination, enforcement, prevention and rehabilitation interventions in line with the National Drug and Substance Abuse Plan 2024-2028,” she said.
She said collaborative interventions carried out during the first two weeks of May focused on supply reduction, demand reduction, harm reduction, treatment and rehabilitation, as well as community reintegration and stakeholder coordination.
“The interventions are aimed at reducing the prevalence of drug and substance abuse while improving access to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and psycho-social support services across communities,” she said.
Ncube highlighted that law enforcement agencies had intensified operations across the province, leading to the arrest of 123 individuals linked to drug and substance abuse offences.
“Of the accused persons, 79 were fined by the police, while 14 were prosecuted and 12 were fined by the courts. Raids continue to be conducted, supported by ongoing intelligence gathering and community participation in identifying hotspots and destroying drug bases,” she said.
She commended residents for cooperating with authorities in exposing illegal drug activities, saying community involvement was critical in winning the fight against substance abuse.
Government has also intensified awareness campaigns targeting schools, tertiary institutions and communities.
Ncube said more than 9 000 people had been reached through various sensitisation programmes conducted during the period under review.
“There has been increased coverage of awareness activities, particularly at ward level, where trained focal persons have been actively conducting regular sensitisation sessions through various community platforms,” she said.
She also indicated that the province had expanded rehabilitation and psycho-social support services for victims of substance abuse.
A total od 71 pwoplw were admitted for medical treatment and rehabilitation, while 70 others received counselling and psycho-social support services aimed at aiding recovery and reintegration into society.
“We remain committed to ensuring that affected individuals and families receive the necessary support for recovery, reintegration and mental well-being.
“Drug and substance abuse is not only a law enforcement issue, but also a public health and social concern that requires collective action,” she said.
The country has in recent years intensified the fight against drug and substance abuse through multi-sectoral interventions involving government ministries, law enforcement agencies, churches, schools, health institutions and community organisations.
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