Over 6.2 million, i.e. 5.8 % of the adult population are drug abusers. PHOTO: FILE
A seminar was held in Ibadat Hospital, Peshawar in collaboration with The Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK on Wednesday to mark United Nations’ Annual Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Regional Vice Chairperson of The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Professor Dr Khalid Mufti informed the audience one in 27 adults in Pakistan are estimated to be dependent on drugs. Over 6.2 million, i.e. 5.8 % of the adult population are drug abusers, while the number in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) stood at 1.5 million.
Dr Mufti added treatment was only available to less than 30,000 drug users. Opiates like opium and heroin are used by almost 1% of all drug users and the highest number of users is in provinces which border Afghanistan, like K-P, he said. The speakers also informed drug use via injections is very common in the country, with an estimated 420,000 users. This increases vulnerability to HIV and other blood-borne diseases through the use of shared needles.
Other speakers included Iqbal Sikandar and Khalid Ayub.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2013.
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