12 Jul 2017

The Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness Mr Dikgang Makgalemele says  his ministry has funded Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for three years at a total budget of over P27 million  during the inception of the alcohol and substance abuse programme in November 2015. 

Answering a question in Parliament Makgalemele said the alcohol and substance abuse programme focused on the development of policies and strategic interventions for enhancing programme implementation with emphasis on prevention.

He indicated that the ministry engaged a consultant to develop a framework to guide the implementation of rehabilitation centres.

“A consultant was engaged but has been unable to meet the deliverables,” he said.

He noted that in the meantime, the ministry had gone ahead and identified a suitable site which would be developed into a comprehensive rehabilitation centre.

Mr Makgalemele said rehabilitation centres still formed part of the priority for government and clients with alcohol and substance abuse disorders were managed through a referral system, which included NGOs  and government facilities.

He further said the ministry had engaged a total of 12 NGOs to provide outpatient rehabilitation services throughout the country.

“Furthermore, my ministry has partnered with the International Centre for Credentialing and Education of Addiction Professionals (ICCE) under the Colombo plan in August 2016, to up skill health workers and community outreach workers (psychologists, counsellors, psychiatric nurses and social workers) to better address substance abuse challenges, increase capacity and professionalise the addiction field,” said Mr Makgalemele.

He said the envisaged rehabilitation centre would be a nisus of a comprehensive rehabilitation hub for the country catering for all rehabilitations needs including those of alcohol and substance abuse.

Member of Parliament for Ghanzi North Mr Noah Salakae had asked the minister why it had taken too long to build rehabilitation centres as promised when the alcohol levy was established, whether rehabilitation centres still form part of the priority for government and if so, how much has been budgeted for them in this financial year and if not, why. ENDs