$500m Availed for Drug Fight

Yvonne Mutambwa
BULAWAYO – President Emmerson Mnangagwa availed $500 million to speed up high-impact activities in the fight against the drug menace nationwide.
Officiating at the inaugural Development Conference towards a drug-free nation for the attainment of Vision 2030 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the money was drawn under the drug and substance abuse mitigation fund.
“It is my expectation that the $500 million availed by my Government under the drug and substance abuse mitigation fund will accelerate high-impact activities and result in this fight to end drug abuse. These activities should reach every corner of Zimbabwe, no one or no place should be left behind,” said President Mnangagwa.
“The need to mitigate the harm associated with substance abuse as well as negative health and psycho-social factors through the provision of holistic treatment services for affected individuals and families remains critical.”
He said his administration is rolling out outpatient psycho-social support centres designed to provide screening and counselling services and awareness and prevention services to people affected by drugs.
“As parents and caregivers, we have a huge role to play in educating our children and the youth to abstain from drug and substance abuse,” he said.
President Mnangagwa has set up an inter-ministerial task force on drug and substance abuse as part of his administration’s efforts to end the scourge which remains a significant threat to achieving Vision 2030.
The task force is chaired by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and deputised by the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation. The task force technical officers are continuously being trained on curbing drug and substance abuse by the Government with support from the World Health Organisation.