According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global status on Alcohol and Health Report in 2014, Uganda was the highest consumer of alcohol per capita in the East African region. This situation has been made worse by the rate at which different kinds of illicit drugs are being brought to the country. Some of the drugs and substances are produced locally thereby making access to them easily available. Uganda is a producer, consumer and transit country for many drug dealers. Due to this trend, many young people have become victims of alcoholism, drug and substance abuse.
The increasing rate of alcohol, drug and substance abuse especially in institutions of learning in East Africa has become a subject of scrutiny and debate. Some learners became overtly rowdy, violent and destructive when schools were allowed to reopen after the lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The indiscipline cases, coupled with the high rate of domestic violence, have mostly been attributed to alcohol, drug and substance abuse. In Kenya in Daily Nation of Tuesday April 19, 2022, head-teachers have asked the Ministry of Education to allow in-school testing for intoxicants. The extent of violence, damage to school properties, in some cases through arson became rampant in Kenya since last year.
Alcohol, drug and substance abuse are responsible for the juvenile delinquency in schools and must be addressed according to principals of secondary schools who met at that head-teachers’ conference in Mombasa recently. In Uganda, the gravity of the problem became apparent a few months ago by the behavior of some students through rioting and strikes, leading to the closure of a number of schools including; St. Joseph’s College, Ombachi in Arua, Gulu Central High School in Gulu. School properties were destroyed and unfortunately, students’ lives were lost too.
Alcohol, drug and substance abuse goes beyond learners in primary and post-primary schools and those in higher institutions of learning to work places and our communities. The Director, Tranquil Homes, a rehab in Entebbe, Mr. Albert Elwa says the extent of alcohol, drug and substance abuse currently is worse compared to what it was in the past. Children as young as 11 or 12 are initiated or experiment with drugs. The situation is complex because new and dangerous substances have found their way in Uganda and can be accessed easily by young people. In the past, it was mainly alcohol and tobacco that led to bad behavior.
However, drugs like Marijuana, Kuber, Hashish, Cocaine, Meth, Herion and Ecstasy are being accessed by the learners unlike it were in the past. Prescription drugs especially, codeine, phenobarbital and other sedatives are also being abused by the young people. Medical students and health workers have not been spared from challenges of drug addiction either. Many health workers have been hooked to and are abusing drugs like Tramadol, Ephedrine and Methadone etc.
Religious leaders have joined the advocacy for mental health by speaking strongly against the increasing rate of alcoholism, drug and substance abuse. The Bishop of Lira diocese, Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok blamed incidences of murder in the Lango sub-region following the killing of 12 people in two weeks on irresponsible consumption of alcohol, drug and substance abuse. (Daily Monitor Tuesday, April 19th, 2022).
Bishop Wanok says the government should set stringent rules on the use of drugs and substances to ameliorate the terrible situation. The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba also highlighted the need for schools to take a keen interest in fighting alcohol, drug and substance abuse by the youth through establishing drug-free clubs in schools.
The Church of Uganda signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Drug Authority (NDA) to build a country free of drug and substance abuse. In the New Vision Thursday April 21, 2022, the Director, Product Safety at NDA, Dr. Helen Ndagije noted the ease with which illicit drugs are imported into Uganda in form of sweets, biscuits and chewing gum in small packets making it easily and readily available to school children. The rising number of young people drinking irresponsibly and abusing drugs and substances can partly be attributed to government’s emphasis on the rights of children and elimination of some disciplinary measures like corporal punishments according to some parents.
The Director, Bunyonyi Engineering Works Limited, Mr. Festo Musiime who is a parent echoed this sentiment. “How can parents not correct their children through a few lashes or other means when they go astray?” he asked. This is partly responsible for the current alcoholism, drug and substance abuse crisis we are dealing with as a country? Similarly, the Secondary school head-teachers during their meeting in Mombasa pointed out that, the application of the Children’s Act
is something that favors errant learners and encourages drug and substance abuse. However, Mr. Albert Elwa disagrees and says this may not necessarily be true because young people just have a higher affinity to risky behavior because of the nature of brain development at that stage in life. Parents should understand and have empathy while guiding their young and teenage children through dialogues instead of harsh punishments when they err. Sometimes, the youth start drinking irresponsibly and abusing drugs and substances as a way of protest and rebellion against their parents, guardians and teachers’ approach in correcting them. It is very important to have the right approach to instilling discipline in young people.
Alcoholism, drug and substance abuse are problems we have to confront in our homes, schools and work places. The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown measures led to more addiction challenges as observed from the number of admissions at the Butabika hospital Alcohol and Drug Unit (ADU) and other rehab facilities. The way forward is to have more programs in the media and in schools on awareness about drinking responsibly and keeping off drugs and substances.
The new government program, the Parish Development Model (PDM) that among others focuses on mindset change should also have aspects dedicated to fighting alcoholism, drug and substance abuse in our schools and societies. Addiction affects the mental health of the young people who are the future of our country, rendering them less productive.
Mental health is wealth and therefore there must be interventions to help stop drug and substance abuse, help those suffering from addiction in order to harness their full potential. The alcohol, drug and substance abuse problem is a ticking time bomb if it is not dealt with.
BY JIMMY ODOKI
