Time to do away with National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse

It’s time the Kenyan Government should disband NACADA and come up with National Drug/Alcohol Task Force to facilitate a more effective response to the drugs and Alcohol problem in the areas experiencing the highest levels of substance misuse. This can be achieved through improved co-ordination in service provision and through utilising the knowledge and experience of local communities in designing and delivering those services.

The Task Force has to comprise a partnership between the statutory, voluntary and community sectors. Their core mandate will be to prepare and oversee the implementation of action plan which co-ordinate all relevant drugs/ Alcohol programmes around in their areas and address gaps in service provision.

The overall aim of the establishing Drugs Task Forces will be to create a safer society through the reduction of the supply and availability of drugs/alcohol for illicit use, minimise problem substance use throughout society, provide appropriate and timely substance treatment and rehabilitation services (including Harm Reduction Services) tailored to individual needs, ensure the availability of accurate, timely, relevant and comparable data on the extent and nature of problem substance use in Kenya and to have in place an efficient and effective framework for implementing the National Substance Misuse Strategy.

National Misuse Strategy main key themes should be reducing demand by encouraging people not to use drugs, restricting supply of drugs by targeting criminals who are involved with producing, importing and distributing drugs and helping people who are dependent on drugs into recovery.

At the national level, an oversite forum on drugs should be formed and at least arrange quarterly meetings, to oversee progress in relation to the actions of the Strategy and address any emerging issues.  The Forum reports to the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy, as required.

The National coordinating committee for alcohol and drug task force should be formed to drive the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy at the local and regional level. Its major responsibility is to make recommendations to the Minister in relation to the implementation of the Strategy.

Local and regional drug task forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in their areas and coordinating action at local level so that there is a targeted response to the drug problem in local communities.