ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control is constructing a 100-bedded drug treatment hospital in Peshawar for treatment and detoxification of drug users in the province.
The Hospital, to be run by Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), is under construction in collaboration with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. ANF was already running three Model Addiction Treatment & Rehabilitation Centers (MATRCs) – one each at Islamabad, Quetta and Karachi.
Official sources on Monday said these treatment centers provide free treatment, boarding and lodging facilities to drug addicts.
MATRC Islamabad and Quetta (45 bedded)) are government funded while MATRC Karachi (55 bedded) is being run on self help basis (donors support).
The sources said these centers are Model Hospitals and undertake treatment protocol approved by the government.
Giving details of each centre, the sources said in Islamabad a 45-bedded Model Addiction Treatment & Rehabilitation Centre was established at Thanda Pani, Lehtrar Road which has now been shifted at Model Town, Industrial Area, Islamabad.
This MATRC has been working since 2005 with capacity to provide free of cost medical treatment and rehabilitation to 360 drug addicts per year. The centre has been converted from development budget to non-development budget i.e. established on permanent footing from July 1, 2014.
In Quetta, the a 45-bedded Model Addiction Treatment & Rehabilitation Centre was established at Chaman Housing Scheme, Airport Road and has been working since 2005 with capacity to provide free of cost medical treatment and rehabilitation to 360 drug addict per year. The centre has been converted from development budget to non development budget i.e established on permanent footing from July 1, 2014.
Moreover, a 55-bedded Model Addiction Treatment & Rehabilitation Centre was established in May 2010 at Kalri (Lyari), Karachi. The centre is working with a capacity to provide free of cost medical treatment and rehabilitation to 440 drug addicts per year.
No regular funding is being provided to this centre and it is being run on funds received from various donors time to time.
In addition, Female and Juvenile drug treatment ward is also under construction at MATRC Karachi.
Answering a question, the sources said Private Drug Treatment Centers fall within ambit of health department of respective provinces and accordingly, their monitoring rests with health departments.
According to National Anti-Narcotics Policy 2010, Provincial Health Department should develop wards in both district and tehsil hospitals for treatment and detoxification of drug users.
Source: APP
