More than 45,000 individuals suffering from drug addiction have completed treatment and been reunited with their families over the past year, Afghan health officials announced on Sunday.
Addressing a ceremony focused on drug prevention and public awareness, Al-Hafiz Inamullah Ammar, director of the National Drug Addiction Treatment Program at the Ministry of Public Health, said more than 45,000 people had received treatment while nearly 300,000 others benefited from awareness campaigns aimed at preventing substance abuse.
“We are committed to strengthening drug prevention initiatives and expanding treatment services across the country,” Ammar said. Treatment for addicted individuals is currently available in about 67 hospitals nationwide, according to Wahdat Alokozay, director general of curative medicine at the ministry.
Afghanistan emerged as a leading global producer of heroin and opium over the past two decades during the presence of U.S. and allied troops. That period has left behind millions of drug users, creating a significant public health and social challenge in the impoverished country.
