The number of homeless people and drug addicts found dead in the provincial capital is on the rise with the death toll in the first five months of the ongoing year reaching 205, including 60 in May.
An organisation working for eradication of drugs estimates that around 8,000 homeless people live at public places in Lahore and addiction to injected narcotics among them is on the rise.
The hot season has proved alarming for the homeless addicts as 60 deaths among them were recorded during May.
A report by the Drug Advisory Training Hub revealed that most of the deceased used injections and two of them were women.
Warning of an increase in injectable drug addiction, the report points out that the problem is prevalent among the citizens, but is most acute among the thousands of homeless people living at the roads, shrines and other public places in various localities of the city.
Especially Ravi Road, Bilal Ganj, Chungi Amer Sadhu, Garhi Shahu, Iqbal Town, Thoakar Niaz Baig, Shahdara, Township, Mugalpura and Ghazi Road are among the localities where homeless addicts are spending their life in precarious conditions.
The addicts resort to begging or do light labour to earn money to purchase drugs and injections.
They mostly lack identification documents and spend the harsh summer days and winter nights outdoors.
The report points out that the death toll of homeless addicts in the city during last month is 40 per cent more than the previous year's figure. The major reason is the extremely hot weather experienced in Lahore during the month.
According to the the Drug Advisory Training Hub, the 60 deaths recorded were of people who had died on footpaths and roads of the city.
According to the report, at least 32 unidentified drug addicts were found dead on the roads of Lahore in January, 40 in February, 36 in March, 37 in April and 60 in May.
Last year, 34 deaths were reported during May, while 40 deaths were reported during the same month in 2020. The figure for the month this year has risen to 60. The report highlights that one reason of the increase in the death toll is the rising number of homeless addicts.
"There is need of constructive decisions from the government for the treatment of the homeless and unknown drug addicts. These people are also part of the society and our government should prepare a constructive policy for their betterment and treatment," said anti-drug campaign consultant Sayed Zulifqar Shah.
He said the people were losing their lives on the roads because of the lack of focus on part of the government on the treatment of addicts.
However, Lady Willingdon Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Sabahat Habib pointed out while commenting on the report,
"The government should also take action against elements providing drugs to the homeless addicts."
The doctor said the prevalence of many diseases had increased in the city in recent years due to the use of injections, especially hepatitis and Aids.
Dr Habib called for action against medical stores involved in selling syringes to drug addicts.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 25th, 2022.
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