KARACHI: Arrests of registered drug-users criticized
KARACHI, Sept 12: The programme director of the Marie Adelaide Rehabilitation Centre, Brother Norman, has urged the police not to harass or arrest the registered injecting-drug users, visiting the MARC's Drop-in Centre near Burns Road.
In a letter to the programme manager of the Enhanced HIV/ AIDS Control Programme, Mr Norman said these addicts, who also happened to be the registered visitors at the DIC, seeking services like new syringes, free treatment for different ailments, besides health education for prevention of HIV/AIDS, were being harrased and arrested by police.
The arrests, Mr Norman feared, would discourage the addicts to visit the centre and avail services with the objective of harm reduction among the addicts to prevent HIV/AIDS, besides Hepatitis B and C.
Asking the authorities concerned to look into the matter, he further maintained that the police action would not only damage the credibility of the DIC, but also severely hamper the government's efforts to save the addicts and their respective family members from contacting severe blood infections.
Mr Norman mentioned that the MARC had been providing rehabilitation and treatment facilities to the addicts for the past 20 years, adding that the DIC was established in 2002 after a mapping exercise, which was conducted by the UNODC and UNAIDS. He urged the authorities to address the issue by involving NGOs and all stake-holders working to fight the drug abuse. -APP
