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The county government of Mombasa will roll out a programme to rehabilitate drug addicts, most of whom have been terrorising motorists along Digo Road by stealing rear windshield wipers, side mirrors and other vehicle parts.
These Intravenous Drug Users (IDU) known as mateja and totalling about 20,000 according to Nacada, will receive methadone to (inject themselves) and ‘dry’ off drugs like heroin.
In an interview with The Nairobian, the Mombasa County Health Executive, Bint Omar, said the county would introduce the drug in May this year as the county had realised that quitting drugs was a tall order for most addicts who suffered relapses.
“Instead of taking heroin, the users will inject themselves with methadone which assists them to cut the craving for heroin,” she said, adding that the drug will be administered under strict conditions that will involve security personnel to curb abuse.
She said the substitution programme has been used successful in countries like Mauritius and Ukraine with positive results in trials carried out at Mathari Mental Hospital.
She said the administration will be rolled out in phases, adding that family members and the community will play a crucial role in offering moral support to the addicts to stop them from relapsing.
Methadone is a synthetic opioid used medically as an analgesic and maintenance anti-addictive and reductive preparations for use by patients with opioid dependence.
Heroin is considered the most addictive and dangerous narcotic. The drug is allegedly named after the word ‘heroic,’ since it gives users the feeling of euphoric power.
Short-term effects of heroin include warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and a heavy feeling in the extremities, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and severe itching.
Heroin abusers typically report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensation called a “rush.”
After the initial effects, users usually will be drowsy for several hours with clouded mental function and slow heart beats. Breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes to the point of being life-threatening. Slow breathing can also lead to a coma and permanent brain damage.
