As a priority, drug treatment and rehabilitation centres must be main-streamed into the healthcare system and should be established in each federal, provincial and district hospital. This was stated by an official of the Ministry of Narcotics Control (MNC) here on Friday while talking to APP.
He said that the provincial health departments should develop wards in both district and tehsil hospitals for treatment and detoxification of drug addicts. He said that the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) would also upgrade facilities in the existing model addict treatment and rehabilitation centres in Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad, and establish new centres in Lahore and Peshawar.
He said that the capacity of treatment and rehabilitation centres functioning under the umbrella of NGOs would be enhanced through financial support and provision of experts, with international assistance. "The ANF will seek to establish 'drop-in centres' for injecting drug users in all major cities of Pakistan, with assistance from donors" he added. He said that rehabilitation programmes for skill development of drug addicts would be launched through vocational training centres.