Ghazni drug addicts rehab centre facing medicine equipment shortage

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Two Drug Addicts Rehabilitation Centres in southern Ghazni province have been facing medicines and equipment shortage, an official said on Sunday.

Dr. Basir Ahmad Amirzai, Head of the Rehabilitation centers, told Pajhwok Afghan News from the past 10 months they had been facing the shortage of equipment and medicines which hampered the treatment process.

He said the two rehabilitation centers (5-bed hospital and Sarapa clinic) were facing serious shortage of medicines, food items, cloths and stationery.

Amirzai said: “The doctors have not yet received six months’ salaries in addition to the lack of equipment and it is not known when they would be paid because the caretaker government did not pay attention to drug addicts.”

According to him, previously the fund to these centers was allocated from the development budget and a number of organizations were also providing support, but currently there was no such supporting sources.

He added beside these problems, about 1,000 drug addicts received treatment in the past 10 months and currently about 100 such addicts were being treated.

Amirzai requested the authorities to sort out these problems in the earliest possible so that these centers’ activities did not hamper.

Qari Mohabatullah, head of the Sarapa clinic, said the center was facing necessary equipment and medicines.

He added they mostly continue the treatment process of drug addicts in houses.

He warned if the government ignored these centers they would suspend activities.

Public Health Director Maulvi Mohammad Hanif Misbah acknowledged the lack of medicines and other equipment and said he had shared the issue with the relevant ministry.

He said the public health department provided some help to these centers but it was inadequate.

Sarwar Khan, who turned to the drugs for the last six months, has been under treatment for a month, said he used to receive better treatment.

He urged the officials to pay serious attention to their medicines, food and cloths during treatment.

Pir Mohammad, another drug addict, said they were provided only one time meal and receive medicines once in 24 hours currently.

Sa/nh