Sindh govt to set up institutions for rehabilitation of drug addicts

The Sindh government has decided to set up institutions for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. The decision was made during a meeting on rehabilitation of drug addicts held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah on Thursday at the Sindh Secretariat.

The meeting was attended by Karachi Commissioner Naveed Ahmed Sheikh, Additional IG Special Branch Ghulam Nabi Memon, Health Secretary Kazim Jatoi, the social welfare secretary and various deputy commissioners.

The chief secretary said the rehabilitation institutions for drug addicts would be established under a public-private partnership. The Sindh government would provide all the facilities, including fund and buildings, while the private institutions would take over the management of those institutions, he explained.

He directed the provincial director of the public-private partnership mode to prepare all the necessary documents for the purpose. He said private institutions for the partnership would be provided through a competitive bidding process.

During the meeting, the deputy commissioners of the Keamari, West and Central districts identified various government buildings where these institutions could be set up after a formal approval.

The chief secretary said that drug addicts were also a part of society and their rehabilitation needed attention. He added that such institutions would be registered under the Sindh Health Care Commission. The meeting was informed in the meeting that drug addicts are given a three-month course but due to unemployment, they become addicts again.