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Over 648 civilians awaiting access to rehabilitation services

Mariyam Malsa
06 December 2020, MVT 18:03
National Drug Agency (NDA). PHOTO: AHMED AWSHAN ILYAS
Mariyam Malsa
06 December 2020, MVT 18:03

A total of 648 individuals are currently in the waiting list, having requested to begin rehabilitation programmes under verdicts from the Drug Court.

Reported by local media outlet Mihaaru, the news stated that a majority of the above consist of individuals who were ordered to seek services from rehabilitation centres, with 391 awaiting the commencement of treatment.

An additional 166 are on the waitlist of the Community Service Centre.

The backlog of cases also include 19 individuals ordered to undergo treatment from the Drug Detoxification Centre in Thinadhoo, Gaaf Dhaalu Atoll, six assigned to the centre in Fuvahmulah, 43 to the Hithadhoo centre in Addu Atoll and 23 sentenced to seek rehabilitation services from the halfway house in the reclaimed suburb of Hulhumale'.

At present, it is uncertain whether the significance of the aforementioned numbers is due to lack of capacity at rehabilitation centres or the failure of individuals to commence treatment.

An order to undergo rehabilitation comes into effect from the point that authorities can ascertain that the individual received the directive.

Under the Narcotic Drugs Act introduced in December 2011, the National Drug Agency (NDA) was mandated to establish six types of centres within a period of 18 months. These include a detoxification centre, a drug treatment and rehabilitation centre, a children's drug and rehabilitation centre, a women's drug and rehabilitation centre, a halfway house and a drug offender remand centre.

However, despite the lapse of nine years following the implementation of the act, NDA has yet to establish the drug offender remand centre.

NDA stated that the construction of the facility is currently underway and that the project was contracted to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).

As with most parts of the world, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disproportionately impact vulnerable groups in Maldives such as drug addicts, women and children, as per various official sources.

The Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services confirmed in April that all classes and sessions held by NDA at the Community Centre were temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Furthermore, the gender ministry revealed that 31 percent of homeless people that requested government assistance as of April were identified as being addicted to drugs.

In 2013, the National Drug Use Survey estimated that there were 7,500 drug users in the Maldives, of which the major of users were between 15-24 years old. Around 200 drug users in Malé and 300 in the rest of the country were found to be injecting drug users who are vulnerable to the spread of blood-borne diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

Although little research was publicised since, experts continue to surmise that figures are still on the rise, along with that of associated risks. A number of people have attributed to the high incidence of relapse, to poor rehabilitation facilities and programs, along with prevailing social stigma and lack of access to counselling that covers job prospects, assists with living situations and so forth.

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