New detox programme launched |02 October 2015

‘Mon Lavi. En Nouvo Konmansman’ (My life. A new beginning) is the theme of a new one-year detox programme that is being introduced for drug victims.

The programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs in collaboration with the department of social affairs and other partners.

It will offer a comprehensive medical and psychological support for drug users who want to get clean, by spending a few months in a detox facility where they will receive treatment and counselling to reintegrate in society.

The new measures are aimed at strengthening the existing detox programme to improve its success rate.

Revealing the programme to the press earlier this week, the Minister for Home Affairs Charles Bastienne said it is much more comprehensive than what has been available in the past.

The programme will last for one year and is expected to begin in the second week of October.

To begin, the programme will start with a cohort of 12 young men. The first phase will be for two weeks on Praslin at the ex-YRTC (Youth Residential Treatment Centre) which the minister explained will be the most difficult part of the detoxication process. Those on the programme will be under very strict supervision, with no contact with family members except on exceptional occasions like attending the funeral of a close family member – which will also be done under supervision.

“With the first group we will make sure that we undertake our programme in a very coordinated week and make sure all necessities are in place. We will have the necessary staff over there like administrator, animateurs, security officials to make sure no undesirable elements infiltrate the facility,” said the minister.

He said that Praslin was chosen because all the facilities are already in place especially health care facility.

After Praslin the participants will go directly to Coetivy for six months where  another detailed programme is already in place which include both work, counselling and psychological support. The first phase of the programme on Coetivy is for three months. They will work for four hours per day during the first month; six hours in the second and eight hours in the last month.

After their three months they will be engaged in more production activities like agriculture for three more months. Extras will be sent to Mahé for sale where revenues gained will be put into an account.

The minister also said that facilities and workshops for the participants to learn various jobs like carpentry, electrical work, computing are also planned to be set up on Coetivy.

After Coetivy the participants, who will be still under their one-year contract, have a choice of either remaining on the island to continue working or come back to Mahé.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and the labour department will find jobs for them. They will earn their first pay after six months of work while attending counselling once a week.

Although it is expected that the participants will be fully rehabilitated after the one year, the minister also acknowledged that government cannot do everything. It has also engaged the business community and private sectors where they can contribute through a social fund that has been set up.

“We expect the programme to stand on its own feet after two years,” Minister Bastienne said, adding that they can become partners both in the programme and in employment opportunities in the future.

He also said there are plans to create a drop-in facility where current drug users can come for counselling under proper supervison. Counselling will also be provided to current family members whose children are being detoxed; bring families of members who are being detoxed together so they can discuss and interact.

To enter the programme, the drug users will have to sign a one-year contract with the Ministry of Home Affairs which is aimed at making sure that both the participants and support family members exercise their responsibility.

Minister Bastienne noted that as his ministry already had a list of people interested in following the current rehabilitation programme on Coetivy island, they used it as a starting point to select those who might be interested to voluntarily follow the new detox programme.

“Firstly clients go through an interview phase where they express their wish to detox,” said Minister Bastienne.

Noting that sometimes it is parents who push their children to follow such programme, Minister Bastienne said with this one it is the drug user himself who has to express his wish to follow the treatment.

“If we as government does not do anything, things will remain more a less the same. We have explained to the participants what are expected of them. In such an intensive programme we expect a high level of discipline where orders and rules should be respected,” Minister Bastienne said.