Drug and substance abuse ward officially open in White City Clinic
KwaThema - A drug and substance abuse ward has officially been opened at the White City Clinic, by the White City Jabavu the Re-Birth Organisation and the clinic, with the purpose of rehabilitating users.
According to the organisation’s chairman, Mandla Phakathi, treatment of these patients will be done using medication, counselling and life skills.
This ward will cater to anyone in the Kwatsaduza area, regardless of their age, as they believe there is a huge problem of drug and substance abuse in the area.
Phakathi says the clinic together with their organisation, entered into an agreement on August 24 of working together to combat drug and substance abuse.
“From Monday to Thursday, we will be doing registrations of patients at the clinic, then on Fridays, the patients will get help from the psychologists, counsellors, doctors and encouragement from motivational speakers.
“In addition, on Fridays, patients will be able to get their prescribed medication, however, this will not be done at the clinic due to security reasons,” says Phakathi.
He says that they have also created a programme of gardening, trade skills and sport which will be used as part of the rehabilitation process for their patients, so that their patients can always have something to do.
“Our referrals and urine testing, among other things, will be done at Bophelong Medical Centre by private doctors.
“The team is working closely with the police to provide safety at the clinic, and with the Ekurhuleni Metro, National Youth Development Agency, Department of Social Development and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, who will assist us with education, drugs and depression cases.
“We will also be able to offer 24-hour counselling and a free help line for the addicts,” says marketing and project manager of the organisation, Mary Stephens.
After the rehabilitation process is complete, patients will be given an opportunity to be motivators for the organisation, so they can encourage others.
Through the new venture, the organisation hopes that community members will start to be more accepting of these addicts despite the stigma associated to them.
They also hope that families of the addicts will start to see that they play a role in the lives of these drug and substance users.
“In the long run, we are looking at having family counselling for the affected families,” says Stephens.
For more information, contact 073 378 7354/083 864 5082/074 316 9086.
