A
recent
parliamentary
investigation
has
revealed
that
Matabeleland
North
and
South
provinces
do
not
have
any
drug
and
rehabilitation
centres,
leaving
youth
in
those
regions
without
proper
avenues
for
recovery.
This
stark
finding
is
part
of
the
Report
of
the
Portfolio
Committee
on
Youth
Empowerment,
Development
and
Vocational
Training
on
the
State
of
Drug
and
Substance
Abuse
Treatment
and
Rehabilitation
Centres,
presented
following
verification
visits
to
existing
and
proposed
facilities
across
the
country.
“The
Committee
observed
Matabeleland
North
and
South
Provinces
do
not
have
drug
and
rehabilitation
centres,”
reads
the
report,
exposing
a
geographic
disparity
that
has
left
communities
in
the
region
vulnerable.
Rehabilitation
centres
play
a
vital
role
in
providing
medical,
psychological
and
social
support
to
people
battling
addiction.
However,
the
report
paints
a
grim
picture
of
facilities
across
the
country,
with
inadequate
resources,
infrastructure
and
personnel
hampering
the
fight
against
drug
abuse.
Even
in
established
institutions,
a
severe
shortage
of
essential
medication
is
undermining
treatment
efforts.
“The
quality
of
care
and
treatment
is
compromised
due
to
a
shortage
of
psychotherapeutic
drugs,”
the
Committee
noted.
“At
the
general
section
of
Ngomahuru
Hospital
(in
Masvingo),
the
institution
is
not
providing
medications
to
patients,
leading
to
the
situation
where
the
section
of
the
hospital
functions
more
as
a
detention
centre
for
individuals
who
struggle
to
coexist
with
others
in
society.
Unfortunately,
after
four
to
eight
weeks
of
inadequate
treatment,
these
individuals
are
released
back
into
the
community.”
The
situation
is
also
placing
staff
at
risk
as
“some
patients
may
become
violent
and
without
the
necessary
drugs,
staff
are
unable
to
manage
these
situations
effectively.”
At
Ingutsheni
Central
Hospital,
Zimbabwe’s
largest
psychiatric
institution,
medicine
donations
have
failed
to
close
the
gap.
“Despite
Ingutsheni
Hospital
receiving
medicines
from
Egypt,
it
still
faces
shortages
of
critical
medications
like
Chlorpromazine
and
Diazepam
as
well
as
essential
anti-craving
and
aversive
drugs
necessary
for
effective
rehabilitation.”
Some
of
the
facilities
identified
for
conversion
into
rehabilitation
centres
are
still
waiting
for
formal
communication.
“Some
of
the
institutions
earmarked
for
conversion
into
rehabilitation
centres
such
as
St.
Luke’s
(in
Lupane)
and
Mzilikazi
Male
Circumcision
Centres
(in
Bulawayo)
have
not
yet
received
any
communication
in
that
regard,”
observed
the
Committee.
These
delays
come
despite
the
escalating
prevalence
of
substance
abuse,
with
common
substances
cited
including
crystal
meth,
cannabis,
alcohol
mixtures,
cough
syrups,
and
concoctions
like njengu and tototo.
The
report
cited
how
the
proposed
Gwanda
rehabilitation
centre
is
in
disrepair,
lacking
roofing
and
basic
infrastructure.
In
Lupane,
the
St.
Luke’s
facility
requires
extensive
resources
to
be
functional
while
Mzilikazi
centre
in
Bulawayo,
however,
needs
minimal
investment.
Consequently,
psychiatric
patients
are
referred
to
Ingutsheni
Central
Hospital
as
all
the
hospitals
visited
lack
adequate
infrastructure
and
facilities
while
these
institutions
are
overwhelmed
by
the
number
of
admissions
that
exceed
their
carrying
capacity.
The
report
stated
how
Masvingo’s
Ngomahuru
Hospital,
though
“dilapidated
and
seemingly
marginalised,”
holds
significant
potential
due
to
its
extensive
land
and
is
Zimbabwe’s
second-largest
psychiatric
facility
after
Ingutsheni
Hospital,
with
the
highest
capacity
compared
to
Ingutsheni.
“
“Unfortunately,
some
patients
remain
in
the
hospitals
permanently,
such
as
at
Ngomahuru
and
Ingutsheni
Central
Hospital,
further
straining
resources.
Families
often
abandon
their
relatives,
leading
to
an
increase
in
admissions.
For
instance,
as
of
June
24,
2024,
Ingutsheni
had
565
patients
with
a
capacity
of
708.”
Across
the
board,
the
health
institutions
visited
suffer
from
critical
shortages
of
trained
professionals.
“There
is
a
general
shortage
of
trained
professionals,
including
counsellors,
psychiatrists
and
social
workers
with
expertise
in
addiction
treatment,
which
limits
the
quality
and
scope
of
services
provided.
Staffing
levels
are
insufficient,
with
the
ideal
ratio
of
one
nurse
per
four
patients
not
being
met,”
the
report
says.
“Gwanda
Provincial
Hospital
is
struggling
with
a
deficit
of
mental
health
personnel,
currently
employing
only
33
out
of
the
recommended
70
workers.
Additionally,
institutions
like
Chipadze
lack
social
workers,
an
essential
role
in
the
recovery
process
for
patients.”
Basic
necessities
are
also
in
short
supply
such
as
uniforms
for
patients,
especially
in
psychiatric
sections,
which
are
often
unavailable,
in
poor
condition
with
many
torn.
“There
is
a
persistent
shortage
of
bedding
and
laundry
facilities
often
malfunction
leading
to
the
deterioration
of
linen,”
the
Committee
observed.
“There
is
a
severe
shortage
of
beds,
forcing
some
patients
to
sleep
on
the
floor
or
in
makeshift
arrangements.”
The
financial
constraints
are
most
pronounced
at
facilities
like
Ngomahuru
Hospital,
which
only
receives
30
percent
of
its
proposed
budget,
which
“often
only
allows
for
the
purchase
of
mealie-meal
for
two
months.”
The
Committee
concluded
that
Zimbabwe
lacks
a
consolidated
policy
on
drug
and
substance
abuse.
Though
several
laws
exist,
including
the
Dangerous
Drugs
Act,
Medicines
Control
Act,
and
the
Zimbabwe
National
Drug
Master
Plan
(2020–2025),
coordination
remains
fragmented.
The
report
called
on
the
Ministry
of
Health
and
Child
Care
to
urgently
send
formal
communication
to
all
facilities
earmarked
for
conversion,
recruit
student
interns
to
alleviate
staff
shortages
and
review
outdated
legislation.
Recommendations
also
urged
the
Ministry
of
Finance
to
allocate
adequate
resources
to
renovate
the
proposed
centre
in
Gwanda
and
complete
the
one
at
St.
Luke’s
Hospital.
The
Ministry
of
Public
Service,
Labour
and
Social
Welfare
is
tasked
with
incentivising
rural
nurses
to
retain
staff,
while
the
Ministry
of
Youth
Empowerment
is
urged
to
link
rehab
centres
with
vocational
training
institutions
to
provide
long-term
recovery.