The National Drug Authority has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Church of Uganda (COU) in the effort to end drug and substance abuse among to implement a school based drug abuse prevention program in Church of Uganda founded secondary Schools.
The partnership with the Anglican church that has over 13 million believers coincided with the visit of Archbishop of COU, The Most Rev Dr. Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu who inspected NDA’s quality control laboratory in Mulago.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Kazimba said that the ultimate objective of this partnership is to help youths in secondary schools avoid initiation into the use of drugs and if they have already started, they be helped to stop it.
Kazimba noted that drug abuse has become a global problem, “today especially among the use, Africa is at cross roads as far as addressing the drug abuse problem is concerned.”
Quoting the African Union report 2020, Kazimba said Africa will experience the largest growth in numbers of drug abuse by 2050.
“This is a challenge to us, drug abuse is predominantly a male problem, that’s why we need to give attention to the boy child because if we don’t we are losing,” he said.
Kazimba revealed that males account for 90% of people getting drug abuse treatment.
Research has also shown a strong relationship between domestic violence and HIV growth, the Archbishop said this is evidenced by testimonies in counselings.
According to the AU 2020 Report, Drug abuse in East Africa is set to increase by 150% from 2 million to about 5.5 millions by 2050.
Meanwhile, the NDA Board Chairperson, Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo noted that NDA has been deploying a multi-pronged approach including, creating and enhancing collaborations, physical and virtual engagements, use of Information Education and Communication tools and conduct of research to end drug and substance abuse especially among the youths.
He said that they have been working with COU especially with the Northern Uganda Diocese to end the problem.
Bitekyerezo said the MOU will widen NDA’s collaboration with COU that is affiliated with several other institutions including schools, universities and media platforms.
“Faith based institutions are well positioned to reach almost all Ugandans as most of Ugandans have a religious inclination,” Bitekyerezo said.
He said the COU for a long time has exhibited strong stand against drug and substance abuse in its teachings, saying the MOU will energize NDA and the COU capabilities to reach many more Ugandans with the message of preventing drug and substance abuse.
Uganda signed and ratified the United Nations (UN) Narcotic Convention, and the country, has a narcotic law passed in April 2015 which all criminalize substance abuse.
