Monday 15 December 2008

I am not thrilled with the offer of 100 beds in India for drug rehabilitation of Maldivians

Yes. I don't feel thrilled at all. But instead a certain sense of loss and gloom is all I am feeling about this bit of news communicated by the state Minister.
Why?
I will just give a scenario to visualise .
100 Maldivians, in rehab centres in Mumbai, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Cochin, Madras...etc. In different parts of India, in rehabilitation centres along with Indians. Maldivian named X, Y, Z..... in these rehabs are getting exposed to the new drug subcultures, drug worlds of this country, through the friendships they will form in these rehabs...a whole new world of.....xxxxxxxxx ...will be exposed to our addicts, to import back to our country. Perhaps, their connection with the drug world, will find contacts in our country, to infilter...spread....this malice to NEW HEIGHTS...which we definitely did not reach in the past many years and we definitely don't wish to go to now!!!
I lived in India for 12 years, and I have a deep respect for this country as this is also the place where I acquired knowledge and experience. I have worked in the deaddiction centre of NIMHANS and have done voluntary work for years in rehabilitation centres across Bangalore and I am aware of the inside functioning of these places.
And based on all this , I strongly discourage sending 100 patients to rehab centres across India, but instead we must tap on their human resources, request India to make a 100 bed rehab centre in Maldives based on their successful treatment models and fund it in the same way the government of India funds its private rehabilitation centres.
If we do this, we have much to gain, in the long run we will have a new model of drug rehabilitation operating in the country to compete with the existing one, and we will have the benefit of having a facility that can offer treatment that is culturally sensitive and of long term benefit for the country. We must at this point also realise the multifaceted nature of drug rehabilitation itself, that it requires the involvement of family members, other supportive networks and also consider the duration of treatment each person will require..etc.
As a first step I recommend that we request India to send a mental health team with drug treatment expertise to develop a comprehensive prison based short term and long term rehabilitation model for incarcerated offenders and request them to send trained staff to staff feydhu finolhu rehab centre. The same way they managed IGMH...perhaps this is the moment to think out of the matrix and take a confident step which will benefit our country .
I think, we must not allow politicians or any one to that matter to take us from out of frying pan into a fire situation. We can do much better, and must not behave like monkeys rushing towards the peanuts that have been thrown at us, but instead request for something more concrete and beneficial for the country!!!
(To understand the Maldivian drug scenario read:http://www.mv.undp.org/Images/drug.pdf )

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I do agree with your 1st step. I think addiction in Maldives is quite young & this can be forgotten if there is a tolerance. Now people understand what Heroin is! Doors for Heroin should be closed & our respected authorities knows how & who smuggles this. Not-easy Not-impossible.

Anonymous said...

Well Naaz I just found your blog and I m very proud that we have you in this Nation and I support your views expressed in this article.
Do you know we have an MD Psychiatrist in Male who just writes prescription and govt sepnds thousands on him to stay there, in all yrs of stay all he has done is swell his account.
And this govt stinks.Sorry this Golhaa stinks.
Our guys end up in a rehab centre in India and connects with underworld,religious fanatics and result export of knifing Murders to neighbouring attacks,mafia run by Maldivins
This is bcos this govt of Anni Golhaa is full of Hashis smokers

Khilath Rasheed - journalist and blogger from Maldives said...

Having been to a rehab myself, I can understand your concern when you say that the network of abuse and trafficking will expand not only locally but across our international boundaries as well, as more affiliations and alliances are made between and among addicts and traffickers.

Anonymous said...

Naaz, I fully agree with you. May I suggest that you communicate this idea to some of our policy makers (those policy makers whose opinion has weight in the Govt) directly because not many of them may know of or have the time to access your blog. It could make a real difference for the long term future of this nation.

Anonymous said...

I will.
I also want to request the readers of this blog, who may have such contacts to print this article and give it to them.
Thanks

Anonymous said...

I totally agree,

We have great rehabs here and I found this source of information that may make it easier for someone to find the appropriate addiction treatment and center that is best suited for the individual and/or the family’s needs better, with their expertise and knowledge.