Paheja Siririka<\/b><\/p>\n
Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula has stated that the country is facing challenges stemming from the availability of illicit drugs and other substances, adding that it is devastating to the physical and mental health of the drug users.<\/p>\n Shangula said the use of these and other types of narcotics could predispose the users to a host of other burdensome illnesses such as HIV\/AIDS, Hepatitis, and kidney diseases.<\/p>\n The Namibian Police recently revealed in June 2023 alone, 153 suspects were arrested nationwide for dealing in cannabis, mandrax, and crack cocaine, with an estimated value of N$617 475.<\/p>\n \u201cAvailable information and statistics indicate that Namibia is no longer simply a transit country for illicit drugs but there is an increasing number of users of illicit drugs of different ages including children of a very young age have become users of such substances, leading to addiction and other negative consequences,\u201d said the minister during the inauguration of the National Drug Control Commission in Windhoek.<\/p>\n Namibia has ratified and acceded to the UN Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988; the UN Convention Against Trans National Organised Crime of 2003; the UN Convention against Corruption of 2004 and the SADC Protocol against Illicit Drug Trafficking of 1996.<\/p>\n \u201cThese international and regional legal instruments have informed our national commitments, approaches, and interventions to combating the scourge of illicit drugs in our country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Shangula further said these drug users are often subjected to social exclusion which further perpetuates the cycle of illicit drug use hence the need to take action towards countering drug trafficking.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is an increasing number of users of illicit drugs of different ages. Unfortunately, even children of a very young age have become users of such substances, leading to addiction and other negative consequences,\u201d Shangula said.<\/p>\n He said the goal is to safeguard all people in Namibia from the devastating and long-term effects of illicit drug use.<\/p>\n In 1999, Cabinet approved the establishment of the National Drug Control Commission under the auspices of the health ministry to oversee the implementation of the National Drug Master Plan.<\/p>\n Control social worker Geraldine Kanyimba stated that among others, the objective of the commission includes providing for mechanisms aimed at demand and harm reduction of substance use.<\/p>\n \u201cTo promote the identification, development, and review of treatment programmes for substance dependants; coordinate and support activities of non-governmental organisations, as well as community-based structures participating in substance use control,\u201d she outlined.<\/p>\n For More News And Analysis About Namibia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Paheja Siririka Africa-Press – Namibia. Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula has stated that the country is facing challenges stemming from the availability of illicit drugs and other substances, adding that it is devastating to the physical and mental health of the drug users. Shangula said the use of these and other types of narcotics could […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":49038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[234,236,233],"class_list":["post-49040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-namibia","tag-namibia"],"yoast_head":"\n