16 Aug 2016

The chief health officer in the Ministry of Health Mr Setshwano Mokgwetsinyana says Botswana has made strides in addressing drug addiction.

This shows in, among others, the funding of 12 NGOs offering rehabilitation throughout the country. The NGOs are funded from the alcohol levy fund.

He made the revelation when officially opening the launch of training for nationals on the fight against drug abuse held at the Masa Square Hotel in Gaborone on August 15.

 However, Mr Mokgwetsinyana conceded that the battle against drug abuse was far from won, adding illicit drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy had found their way into the country.

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcements Affairs fund the training, offered by Colombo Plan International Centre for Education and Credentialing of Addictions Professionals (ICCE), in US.

Mr Mokgwetsinyana appreciated the assistance by the international partners, adding that currently there were no dedicated drug treatment centres in the country but psychiatric clinics throughout the country and one psychiatric hospital serving a population of 2.2 million.

He said that Botswana was grateful to work with the training agency given its international presence and standing.

When introducing the training, Mr George Murimi, training coordinator of ICCE said there were eight modules in Curriculum.

He said the workshop would discuss two modules of the ICCE Universal Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders Basic Level Curricula. 

The remaining six will be offered later upon satisfactory completion of the first two modules. ENDS