Faryab resident sets up rehab for drug addicts

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): A resident of Maimana, the capital of northern Faryab province, has established a drug rehabilitation centre, an official said on Thursday.

Counter-Narcotics Director Mullah Mohammad Haqmal, in an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, said the facility would provide treatment to 500 addicts.

Built by Maimana resident Haji Mohammad Dawood Rahmati, the rehabilitation centre was inaugurated on Wednesday.

The inauguration came after an understanding between the Ministries of Interior, Public Health Director and Haji Dawood.

Currently, the director estimated, around 25,000 drug addicts existed in Faryab province.

Haji Dawood, referring to the rehab’s creation, said one of his brothers was also a drug addict who had been taken to different countries, including India and Pakistan, for treatment.

All his efforts had been fruitless, Dawood said, adding his brother was eventually treated at a rehabilitation centre in Mazar-i-Sharif.

“Our parents’ families suffered for 20 years due to the addiction of our brother. We were mocked by society and felt ashamed.

“We thought about the families of other drug addicts. My mother tasked me with establishing a drug rehabilitation centre with our own financial resources.”

Permission for operationalising the centre for five years had been sought from the counter-narcotics department.

Initially, up to 100 addicts would be provided treatment and later this capacity would be increased to 500, he explained.

Mir Hamza, head of the rehabilitation centre, promised they would employ a different method of treating addicts, who would not be given even a Paracetamol tablet.

nh/mud

Views: 68