MEC marches for drug-free lifestyle
Drug abuse by the youth is a worrying factor and the Department of Health is going to make an extra effort in addressing this scourge that continues to destroy young lives on a daily basis.
This commitment was made by MEC, Mr Gillion Mashego, during a Youth Month celebration at eMalahleni.
With the deputy minister of health, Dr Joe Phaahla, Mashego led a three kilometre walk focusing on promoting a healthy lifestyle with a special focus on alcohol and substance abuse, sexual behavior and
physical activity.
The three-day celebration included household interaction and health education, a door-to-door campaign where youngsters were educated on nutrition, physical activity and dangers of drug abuse and a visit to Sanca where the delegates interacted with 15 youth
on treatment for drug abuse.
“During our interaction with the young people here at eMalahleni, we have noticed with much concern that young lives are going down due to drug abuse with some confessing that they can’t do anything without getting a fix. Several youngsters have confessed to selling their parents’ properties just to feed their addiction and this is a huge social concern,” said Mashego.
He added that his department would pay much attention to re-engineering of primary health care and take programmes to school.
“The best way to help and fight this scourge will be teaching young children in schools so that they don’t even start take drugs.
There are posts that have been advertised for school managers to roll out the programme,” said the MEC adding that they will also contract doctors in clinics to assist young people who are hooked.
The deputy minister added that they would identify young people
at risk and help them so that the problem didn’t progress to
serious addiction.
A local youngster, Pretty Jiyane acknowledged that drug abuse was indeed a huge problem which was largely contributing to moral decay in the community.
“The are other challenges facing the youth. Teenage pregnancy is one of them but drug abuse is on top of the list. Peer pressure contributes to this issue and I think parents should start playing their part and be there for their children and talk to them.
The problem now is that we talk to friends and end up misleading each other since our parents are not open to talk to us about issues that continue to mess up our lives,” Pretty said.
