NEDC to set up 240-bed rehabilitation centres to treat drug addicts
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) is to set up 240- bed capacity facilities for the rehabilitation of drug addicts in each of the six states in the region.
The 40-bed capacity rehabilitation centres, are to be sited in each of the six state capitals of Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe and Yobe.
The NEDC’s Managing Director, represented by Director of Operation, Waziri Madu disclosed this at the weekend (Friday) in Maiduguri while donating a 500KVA generating set to the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri.
He said the establishment of the rehabilitation centres, following the rising rates of drug abuse in the insurgency affected states in the region.
He urged the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Ibrahim Waka, to present the request for the setup of a 40-bed capacity trauma and psychosocial centre.
He noted that the completion of the centre will be for the management of victims of Boko Haram insurgency in Borno state.
“We’ll continue to do more in the health sector of the Northeast,” stating that the plans in the health sector, include the construction of a 40-bed centre to rehabilitate victims of drug abuse.
Responding, Prof. Wakawa lamented that during the over a decade insurgency, the hospital has treated 150,000 patients from chronic mental disorders with stabilization of drug abuse victims in the region.
The Medical Director of the institution Professor Ibrahim Wakawa said the hospital is providing services to about twenty-four million people in the region.
He noted that the scenario would have been worse if the drug addicts were left to roam the streets.
He warned that allowing victims of insurgency without any therapeutic interventions are risky.
According to him, mental and psychosocial support will accelerate the healing process in hospitals, government agencies and universities for research.
“I’m appealing to the commission to set up a mental health and psychosocial centre in Maiduguri,” adding that it will render support to victims of the 13-year terrorism in the Northeast.
