ISLAMABAD: Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), in addition to existing 145 bedded Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres (MATRCs), is expanding this facility to 173 more beds at Karachi, Sukkur and Peshawar.
The ANF is running the centres at Islamabad, Quetta and Karachi. The centres at Islamabad and Quetta (having the capacity of 45 beds each) are government funded while Karachi centre (55 beds) is being run with donors support, official sources said on Monday.
The sources said working under Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) a 45-bedded Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre was established at Thanda Pani, Lehtrar Road which has now been shifted at Model Town, Industrial Area Islamabad.
These MATRCs have treated thousands of drug addicts from different parts of the country.
The sources said ANF has provided treatment to 2045 drug addicts in two years in order to rehabilitate them and treated 1,210 drug addicts in 2015 and 835 in 2016.
These centres provide free treatment, boarding and lodging facilities to drug addicts and a complete follow-up is also conducted after 45 days treatment.
The sources said that the provincial governments run primary, secondary and tertiary level hospitals in various districts where medical treatment (including treatment of addicts) is undertaken and added as per National Anti-Narcotics Policy, each District Hospital is supposed to have 20-beds drug treatment ward. Moreover, the sources said that the permission to establish the hospital in private sector/control of private hospitals and treatment protocol to be followed are dealt by Provincial Health Departments.
Regarding steps taken to kerb drug addiction in the country, the sources said ANF has launched Youth Ambassador Programme which has over 5000 active youth ambassadors throughout the country.
It is basically hoped to take youth onboard for awareness and drug abuse prevention, with the message “Say No to Drugs”. It aimed at promoting mass awareness highlighting emerging trends of drug abuse especially amongst street children, students, parents and teachers.
It also provides the platform for projecting young talent to channelize the role of youth in serving humanity and society, without any discrimination and exploitation.
The sources said that ANF also undertakes the media campaign to disseminate awareness at the national level. ANF has also its own website [email protected] and Facebook Page [email protected] to spread its message. In addition, a UAN Number 111-222-331 has also been made public for fruitful suggestions by public.
The sources said the number of awareness campaigns conducted during the last three years was more than 1,000, out of which 185 such activities were conducted during 2014, 437 during 2015 and 378 in 2016.
The awareness activities included seminars, lectures, awareness walks/ rallies, awareness sessions, essay competitions, painting competitions, tableaus, sports events, and advertisements in print/electronic media and distribution of informational material etc for creating awareness among the masses.
The sources said ANF was also looking forward to extending requisite drug treatment facilities at all the central jails at the provincial capitals of the country.
ANF has provided free treatment to over 13,000 addict-patients in hospitals and 1994 addict-prisoner at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.
ANF had prosecuted 424 cases during 2016, of which 42 acquitted and 382 were convicted which shows 90 percent successful conviction rate.
Four death penalties and 81 life imprisonments were also included in total prosecuted cases during the year.
Last year ANF also frozen Rs 839.7 million of assets, out of which Rs 19.07 million have been forfeited and Rs 6.95 million realised.
The sources said that ANF has also made substantial progress towards its capacity building whereby 547 new recruits joined the ranks, latest body scanners have been deployed at major airports, mobility has been revamped and ANF Canine and Breeding Centre has met wishful target by providing 44 new dogs.
If you read an article like this and still do not feel like our nation has a drug problem, In my friend's rehab for men alone, he saw far too many people struggling with similar problems. Addiction can happen to pretty much anybody you know.
Comments are closed.