Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Ministry of Health and Wellness, in collaboration with the National Drug Secretariat of the Prime Minister’s Office, pursued its efforts to sensitise and train young people across the country to fight the drug scourge with the launch of the Youth Empowerment Programme Against Drugs (YEPAD), yesterday, at Britannia Community Centre.
The Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy; the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal; the Parliamentary Private Secretary, Dr Muhammad Ismaël Rawoo; and other personalities were present at the launching ceremony.
According to the Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey 2020, the population size of people who injected drugs in 2020, in the Island of Mauritius, was estimated at 6,600.
It was found that those who used non-injecting drugs such as cannabis or synthetic drugs started at the early age of 18 years old while those who injected drugs such as heroine started usually around the age of 21 years old. The report also highlighted that 90 percent of people who injected drugs started by using cannabis or synthetic drugs.
The YEPAD is therefore a one-week drug prevention education and leadership building initiative, designed to train young people and build their capacity in actively organising drug prevention activities in their respective locality and surrounding regions. It is recalled that the YEPAD was first held on 1st March 2021 in Roche-Bois.
The overall objective of this endeavour is to raise awareness in 26 regions in Mauritius on the situation of drug consumption and discourage youngsters from falling into the scourge of drugs by enrolling their peers in conducting drug prevention programme.
Resource persons from non-governmental organisations and personnel staff of the Harm Reduction Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness share with participants their knowledge and expertise on community drug prevention programme.
To date, more than 500 participants in 16 regions around the island have participated in the YEPAD, which adopts a community-based prevention approach through empowering and engaging young people in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking of drugs.
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