Staff Reporter
THE easy availability of drugs and related substances is adversely affecting intervention efforts and harm reduction in Beitbridge where from January to date a total of 32 out 47 people have been to hospital on that alone.
Of the 47, 13 were victims of alcohol abuse of which 10 were hospitalised while the remainder was for drugs of which 22 were hospitalised.
Two cases were serious and the victims were referred to psychiatric institutions.
Drug and substance abuse remains a growing public health concern in Zimbabwe and Beitbridge in particular currentlyb having serious health, social, and economic consequences from the scourge.
The district lies in the traffic corridor of drugs and most abusers have easy access to drugs and substance.
Presenting a harm reduction report at a recent committee on Drugs and Substance Beitbridge district medical officer Lenos Samhere said drugs and substance are easily available in Beitbrige making the fight against the same a difficult one.
His report covering January to October this year showed the 47 clients were managed for drug and substance use disorders at the Beitbridge District Hospital.
“Of these, 32 patients required hospital admission, while 2 patients with severe psychiatric complications were transferred to specialized psychiatric institutions for rehabilitation and further management,” he said.
He said harm reduction interventions implemented at the hospital and outlying district sought to minimise the adverse health outcomes associated with substance use while facilitating access to treatment, rehabilitation, and psychosocial support services.
“Despite ongoing interventions, challenges such as treatment defaulting, easy availability of drugs within communities, and under-reporting of cases continue to impede effective management and long-term recovery.”
Beitbridge District Hospital serves as the main referral facility for substance abuse cases within the district and provides both inpatient and outpatient management services.
Samhere said other drug and substance abuse accounted for approximately 72% of all reported cases while alcohol abuse accounted for approximately 28% of cases seen.
A high proportion (68%) of clients required admission, indicating significant severity of illness at presentation, he told the meeting which is a district ccommittee against drugs and substance abuse.
“Psychiatric complications requiring specialist rehabilitation services were noted in some patients, necessitating referral to psychiatric institutions,” he said.
He said the hospital offered several harm reduction measures including clinical management involving assessment and stabilisation of intoxicated patients, management of withdrawal symptoms, treatment of medical complications associated with substance abuse.
Families of affected people were engaged as part of some of the interventions where counselling was part during the period under review.
Samhere said an intersectoral collaboration where coordination with mental health services, law enforcement agencies, the Department of Social welfare and community leaders was all part of the interventions.
Among the key challenges it was noticed that patients run away from health institutions before the end of their teratment terms resulting in Incomplete management of withdrawal symptoms and increased risks of relapse.
Samhere also said there is gross under-reporting of drug and substance abuse cases with those announced a small proportion of the reality.
Stigma associated with substance abuse, limited healthcare-seeking behaviour, fear of discrimination, preference for informal management within families and lack of community surveillance and reporting mechanisms compounded cases of drugs and substance abuse.
Under-reporting makes it difficult to accurately estimate the true magnitude of the problem and plan appropriate interventions