PUPILS from schools across Kwekwe District thronged the towns’ city centre on Wednesday to raise awareness against drug and substance abuse.
Various stakeholders in the district also took part in the awareness campaign which ended at Kwekwe High School.
Represantatives of Government departments and non-governmental organisations who came in their numbers took turns to address the pupils.
Kwekwe District Development Coordinator, Mr Fortune Mpungu said the district, just like the rest of the country, has been hard hit by the drug and substance abuse scourge.
“Our district has not been spared from drug related challenges. Homelessness, vagrancy, criminal behaviour, HIV/AIDS, school dropouts, job losses, hospitalisation and troubled relationships have been linked to drug and substance abuse,” he said.
Mr Mpungu said drug abuse cases are also rampant amongst school children.
“I am sure most of you still remember the reported cases of school children who committed suicide in the district as a result of drug abuse in 2022. The cases surprised us given our spirited efforts to end the drug abuse menace in the district,” said Mr Mpungu.
He said what was also also worrying was that parents and some teachers were involved in the selling of drugs to pupils.
Mr Mpungu said there is a need for a multi-sectoral approach to end the scourge.
“The problem has become so huge hence it needs all stakeholders to be involved. The challenge now calls for a multi-sectoral approach. Teachers, parents, politicians, captains of industry, development partners, local authorities and school children themselves have a role to play in fighting drug abuse,” he said.
Acting Kwekwe Director of Health Services Sister Patricia Shumba said the local authority has already started offering rehabilitation services even before the completion of a rehabilitation facility which is under construction.
“We are in the process of converting Amaveni Beerhall into a rehabilitation centre and we are about 40 percent complete. We are however already offering rehabilitation and counselling services at all our clinics, Amaveni Hall and Mbizo Youth Centre,” she said.
The local authority also trained community health workers who are dotted around the city to offer counselling and rehabilitation services to members of the public.
Sister Shumba said her department working together with the Housing and Community Services Department has also introduced a number of sporting activities like basketball and pool games to keep the youths busy.
Event organizer, Dr Manners Msongelwa said the pupils learn better from each other.
“There is nothing for them without them so we decided to engage the children so that they play a leading role in spreading the message,” said Dr Msongelwa.
He said more than 12 schools from across the district participated in the event.
The development comes as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has declared war against drugs peddling and abuse. – The Chronicle
