KUWAIT: The addiction treatment center’s new extension will have 100 beds designated for youth who need rehabilitation, said Director of the center Dr Adel Al-Zayed on Monday. “It will be the first time that youth will be treated at the center, which only treated those over 21 years old in the past,” he said in a speech during an event held to mark World Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking under the patronage of the Minister of Health. Once ready early next year, the 300-bed building will also have capacity for 200 females.

The inauguration of the extension will mark the beginning of improvements to the center’s outpatient clinic and the continuous care clinic, said Zayed. The center will also provide more support to volunteer organizations, including a program run by the Bashayer Al-Khair Association. Rising recovery rate The number of people recovering from addiction has been on the rise, said Zayed, with recovery rates reaching 40 percent since rehabilitation services have been added to the center.

The increase, which he said is comparable to international recovery rates, doesn’t only reflect the center’s efforts, but also the positive examples set by patients who have previously made recoveries, he added. Zayed stressed the center’s keenness to constantly communicate with those recovering from addiction and follow up on their recovery journeys. He highlighted the existing cooperation between the center and the Department of Correctional Facilities at the Ministry of Interior to provide rehabilitation services within correctional facilities, but said the partnership is still in the process of being implemented due to some administrative arrangements.

Dr Hussein Al-Shatti, a psychiatrist and head of the medical department at the center, said: “The drug problem is a complex issue globally and affects millions of people and may cause harm to their physical and psychological health, so this day comes as a means to enhance work and cooperation to achieve a world free of drug abuse.”

World Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, he said, aims to bring attention to the importance of treating people with addiction with respect and empathy, providing evidence-based services and scientific research, in addition to finding alternatives to punishment, prioritizing prevention and leading with compassion. He explained that the legal provision of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is one of the most important factors contributing to increased abuse rates. He added that men are more vulnerable to addiction and misuse of narcotic substances, but women are more likely to move from abuse to addiction. – KUNA