A rehabilitation centre is a clinic where individuals with alcohol or drug addiction are treated to help them return to their normal lives. In Pakistan, a survey revealed that six percent of the population, 9 percent of the adult male population, and 2.9 percent of the adult female population are involved in drugs. This is equivalent to 6.7 million people having used drugs, substances, and alcohol in 2022.
Two rehabilitation centres in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, are “Willing Ways Pakistan,” which is only for men, and “Nishan Foundation Inc.” These two foundations’ rehab centres are very effective for drug and alcohol addicts.
These individuals become addicted, ruining their lives, but they need help and proper treatment to return to normalcy. With the increasing percentage of drug and alcohol addicts, more rehab centres should be established. There must have been a challenging phase in their lives that led them to this condition. So, for a positive change in their lives, for their families, for their loved ones, they need rehab centres.
There seem to be many rehabilitation centres in Islamabad, which are useful and beneficial for the country as they bring improvement to its people, automatically enhancing the society and the environment. It is important to help and support them with the resources they need.
These rehab centres play a crucial role in helping people overcome challenges and start afresh. They provide therapy, support, guidance, and hope to people on a journey to recovery. It is really amazing how these centres make a positive impact on people’s lives. In Pakistan, the total number of drug addicts, as per a UN report, is 7.6 million, with 78 percent of them being male, and the remaining 22 percent female. The number of these addicts is increasing at the rate of 40,000 per year, making Pakistan one of the most drug-affected countries in the world.
This is why Pakistan needs more rehabilitation centres to restore the lives of these people, reduce the frequency of use, and improve the quality of life. The most common addictions in Pakistan are cannabis and heroin, both of which are cheap and easy to obtain, with most of them coming from Afghanistan. Afghanistan is responsible for at least 75 percent of the world’s heroin.
The death rate due to drugs is alarming, with 700 drug addicts dying daily due to drug-related issues in Pakistan. The concerning part is the lack of treatment facilities in Pakistan to get them clean, and for those who are fortunate enough to access support, the treatment is painful, resembling something out of the dark ages or a horror film. Pakistan’s government cannot afford to purchase and supply expensive medicines such as Subutex or Methadone as a substitute for heroin.
A heroin addict’s chances of getting clean are minimal, as the only treatment available involves being locked up and withdrawn from the drug cold turkey. The only form of medicine available is paracetamol for pain relief. The Edhi Foundation is one of Pakistan’s only forms of free treatment for heroin addicts, with 6 centres set across Karachi, treating 4,500 patients one at a time. However, there is a lack of basic facilities, such as no funding for pain relief medicine. The centres themselves look like old-time jails, with people in pain having no pain relief medicine and being dragged on cold floors.
The Government of Pakistan should stop these drug dealings, which will eliminate the need for rehab centres, and international funding will be spent in far better ways. This will improve the socio-economic condition of the country. The Government of Pakistan is requested to look at these issues and act on them, as they impact the country and its civilians in many ways.
The only supply of medicine is paracetamol, and most patients are brought against their will. These rehab centres must have all the requirements needed for all the facilities. The rehab centres are mostly available in the capital of Pakistan, and the main city is Karachi. Rehabilitation centres must be built all over Pakistan, in all of its provinces, Balochistan, KPK, Punjab, and Sindh.
As the percentage of drug and alcohol addicts is increasing, which is also due to people living in small areas, small cities, these centres must be built with all facilities and requirements. Drug and alcohol addicts should be forced to get treatment in rehab centres, as it is very hard for an addict to become clean and stop. They should be forced on one condition: they must be taken care of, made to feel comfortable, and supported on their journey, with motivation to make their lives better and start working towards it with hope for the best results.
Their mental health is important, so for this reason, psychiatrists should be appointed for mental health improvement. This is a serious problem for Pakistan, as the new generation, the youth, is involved in drug and alcohol activities, which is very bad for the future of the country. It should be taken seriously, and the government should act on this situation on a national level.
Organizations must work on it at an international level, as these organizations provide funds that are used to get medicines of all types, which will help them work more effectively and acquire good results. If the rehabilitation centres start working properly, people get treated correctly, making a positive impact on the people, building trust in these centres so people will admit their family members or loved ones for good treatment and the best results.
Drug and alcohol addicts are making a very bad, negative impact on society. The first negative impact is on their home and family. Due to their addictiom, they can’t take care of their family; children’s education, and their family is affected the most, with their future at risk. The second negative impact is on society, as they interact with each other, influencing the people around them or their friends negatively.
This influence continues, bringing negative impacts. One major effect is that robbery will become more common, as the addicts are jobless and want money for their substances. The only solution for them will be theft and begging on the roads, which affects the country’s economy, as they rely only on these acts as their source of money.
The Government of Pakistan should stop these drug dealings, which will eliminate the need for rehab centres, and international funding will be spent in far better ways. This will improve the socio-economic condition of the country. The Government of Pakistan is requested to look at these issues and act on them, as they impact the country and its civilians in many ways.
