Drug abuse patients congesting Ngomahuru Psychiatric hospital

Masvingo (New Ziana) –Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital on the outskirts of Masvingo City is being congested by drug and substance abuse patients, resulting in shortage of food and medicines.

The institution caters for mentally ill patients and is not a rehabilitation centre that can accommodate and offer services to persons with drug and substance abuse disorders.

According to a report by the Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, at least 184 drug abuse patients were admitted at Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital with the majority being between 21 and 45.

“The province saw 184 cases of drug and substance abuse at Ngomahuru and of these, 108 were treated and discharged. 145 had attempted suicide. The province has no institution for drug abuse clients, hence congesting Ngomahuru,” he said.

Ngomahuru medical superintendent, Dr Parirenyatwa Maramba said the challenge of drug abuse was quite huge and urged the government to build rehabilitation centres for the patients.

“The challenge is quite huge and there is need for serious awareness and education amongst the youths. There is also need to create rehab centres where they can actually be helped, ourselves we are just a hospital not a rehab,” he said.

Dr Maramba said although there might be notable changes on patients when they are discharged, the assistance they would have received would not last since they would be returning same environment and would likely to fall back to using drugs.

“There is also need to capacitate them in terms of what they can do when they go out. There is need to train them on different projects that they can do when they go out,” he said.

With the rise in cases of drug abuse, the government established an Inter-Ministerial Task Force chaired by the Ministry of Public Services, Labour and Social Welfare to come up with ways of curbing the scourge.

New Ziana