Staff Reporter
In a bold move to combat the escalating drug and substance abuse crisis, the Government has appealed to the public to join forces in eradicating this scourge from Zimbabwean society.
This call to action was made by Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mercy Dinha, during her address at the National Committee of National Substance Abuse meeting held today in Harare.
Deputy Minister Dinha, urged the public to join forces with the Government in the fight against drug and substance abuse, underscoring the importance of societal approach to tackle this issue.
“Our coming together in the fight against the drug menace restores dignity to our communities. It is through working together that we find strategies that help in curbing this drug menace. Collectively, we achieve more, hence let us embrace the whole-of-Government and societal approach of leaving no one and no place behind.
“There is a saying that says it takes a community to raise a child let us vigorously embrace it into practise. A child belongs to a community. As alluded to earlier the drug and substance abuse is not one man's responsibility but a collective one. In this regard Cabinet directed that the response towards drug and substance abuse be multisectoral in the establishment of the national committee,” said Minister Dinha.
Additionally, Minister Dinha highlighted the detrimental consequences of drug and substance abuse, which include increased crime rates, mental health issues, HIV/AIDS, sexual assault, terrorism, human trafficking, school dropouts, and early child marriages.
Emphasizing on the need for cooperation among all stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse, the Deputy Minister said that this was not a one-man job and that everyone had a role to play.
“Two heads are better than one, and this menace is not a one-man job. We need to take cooperative steps and strategies to address the level in which the youth are abusing drugs within the country", she said.
Moreover, echoing Deputy Minister Dinha's sentiments, in a demonstration of international support, the United Nations (UN) representative, Dr. Mashandu, pledged the organization’s unwavering commitment to assist Zimbabwe in curbing drug and substance abuse. She commended the Government for taking proactive measures to address this issue and pledged the UN’s continued collaboration in supporting these efforts.
“The United Nations stands ready to assist Zimbabwe in its endeavors to eradicate this pervasive issue,” she affirmed.
Meanwhile, The Deputy Minister's remarks were well-received by the audience at the meeting, one Getrude Marufu from the Miekles Foundation thanked the Government for its continued perseverance in trying to curb the drug abuse menace. She said that they were seeing some positive changes, with more rehabilitation centers being established.
