By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
Press Secretary, Yusuf Keketoma Sandi has said that nine Kush users have escaped from the Rehab Centre at Peace Keeping Mission Centre in Hastings outside Freetown.
Sandi was briefing the media on 19 March at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on what the government has been doing in addressing kush and its related matters, in which he noted fifty victims were in the rehabilitation centre, out of which nine have escaped from the facility, and that three other female victims in the facility have been referred to the Kissy Psychiatric Hospital. Thirty-eight victims are currently at the rehab centre.
The security system at the rehabilitation centre is "much" safer, he added, and that they would make additional improvements to address the issue of kush victims escaping. He urged kush victims to be willing to undergo the rehabilitation process at the centre, and frowned at them escaping.
As a way to encourage more Kush victims to visit the rehab centre, he called on communities to be civically responsible in their handling of victims; mentioning shaving of their heads as a violation of their human rights. “Government is very concerned about how communities are treating the victims,” the Press Secretary emphasised.
He added that the Social Welfare Ministry is currently working with communities to help in the fight in accordance with the law against the deadly drug.
According to the Press Secretary, seventy social and health workers were employed to look after the drug victims at the rehab centre. “Through the inter-ministerial committee, they established various groups at the facility, such as the psychiatric department, social care delivery, case management, referral system, skills development, and community outreach, among others. This facility is to help out drug victims so they are useful and be integrated into society,” Sandi said.
Speaking about the law enforcement to abate Kush, the Press Secretary said the police continue to arrest, detain and prosecute kush dealers across the country.
In her statement, a female Member of Parliament (MP), Rebecca Yei Kamara noted the increase in mental health in the country, which according to the victims is due to joblessness. She believed that mental health victims are vulnerable and that they should not be blamed for their condition, condemning the act of those shaving the heads of victims.
“Parliament has summoned the Chief Medical Officer, Inspector General of Police, the Immigration Department and many other stakeholders to find solutions against kush,”- Kamara speaking about the action of Parliament.
On the five hundred thousand job creation initiative of the government, the female MP said the youths are the workforce of the nation, and that the government initiative would not be achieved if the youthful population shrinks due to the intake of harmful drugs.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (20/03/24)
