Addiction, the hidden public health crisis
Substance use disorder, more commonly known as addiction, destroys lives and livelihoods throughout the continent everyday.
However, the true extent and severity of the disorder is unknown due in part to the stigma that surrounds it, according to a statement by South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (Sanca).
Sanca’s national coordinator, Adrie Vermeulen, said, “The public needs to remember that addiction or substance use disorder (SUD) is a diagnosable, treatable medical disorder and no country or company can afford to lose any more resources to ineffective, uncoordinated addiction treatment protocols.
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“SUD is not a weakness, not a lack of character or willpower, and not something that should be punished,” said Vermeulen.
“The disorder affects a specific part of our brain that controls our logical thinking. That is why people with addictive disorders cannot logically make a choice not to use the substance again and again. Addiction is treatable, but not curable.”
The statement went on to say that in South Africa, the fourth National Drug Master Plan (NDMP 2019-2024) was drafted in accordance with the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act (Act No. 70 of 2008) while other independent programmes and projects focus on specific elements addressed in the NDMP.
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Despite this, a gap remains between the existence of the formal documentation and its practical, coordinated implementation by substance use disorder prevention and treatment professionals.
Sanca will be hosting a conference in an effort to start bridging the gap, called the Addiction Conference 2021, between July 21 to 23.
This platform, according to the statement, will bring together SUD treatment and other healthcare professionals to collaborate with providers, policymakers and regulators to create effective and long-lasting solutions to address the public health crisis of SUDs.
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“The conference is not aimed at replacing or opposing any existing policies and frameworks,” said Vermeulen.
“It is intended to bring everyone involved in the prevention and treatment of SUDs together to create practical, evidence-based solutions relevant to the unique African situation.”
The University of Cape Town Addiction Psychiatry Division’s head and chair of the conference, Dr Goodman Sibeko, said in the statement that the movement from a fragmented to a blended approach is the best way to bridge the gap between policy and implementation.
He said the blended approach is intended to significantly reduce the impact of substance dependence disorders on society, communities, families, healthcare and law enforcement.
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“Now is the time to inspire a movement for change so we can all work together to tackle addiction with socially inclusive, responsive and individualised solutions,” said Sibeko.
The planned outcomes of the conference include a workplan to achieve the resolutions of the conference and increase transparency and accountability across all relevant stakeholders.
“In the end it’s all about helping those suffering from the diagnosable and treatable medical condition called SUD to step out of the darkness and into the light,” said Vermeulen.
