By Memory Khutuliwa

Blantyre, June 4, Mana; Health and Rights Education Programme (HREP) Executive Director, Maziko Matemba said there’s a need for government and partners to put in place strict measures to prevent drug and substance abuse among young people in the country as cases increase at the central referral facility where 436 young people got admitted in 2024 due to drug related mental health.

Matemba made the remarks following a concern from Zomba Mental Hospital that there was a worrisome trend that has seen increased numbers of young people getting admitted to the Zomba hospital due to issues that could be avoided by strict regulations.

He therefore urged government and partners in the youth and health sectors to look at root causes of such trends and find lasting solutions to prevent losing the next generation.

“It is encouraging that Parliament recently passed the Mental Health Bill. Once the President assents to it, there is an opportunity to urgently operationalize the law to address mental health issues,” he added.

Spokesperson for Zomba Mental Hospital, Harry Kawiya encouraged parents and guardians to interact with their children on issues to do with effects of drug and substance abuse so that they should have adequate information about effects of consumming such addictive substance.

Apart from mental health problems, Kawiya said drugs and substance abuse leads to other problems such as kidney and hepatitis, adding that that addicts most of the times share needles and other sharp objects that put them at risk of contracting HIV.

He also noted that drug and multiple substance use can lead to behavioral disorders such as depression and psychosis, which may result in job loss and even suicide.

“The majority of those that are admitted at Zomba Mental Hospital are young people from teens to early 30s, and this is the period when a person presents first episode. According our statistics, in 2023, we admitted 340 due to multiple drug abuse and in 2024 we admitted 436,” he explained.

He added that government through ministry of health encourages integration of healthcare services in schools such that the Ministry of Education has incorporated issues of drug prevention in the school curriculum.

Blantyre District Youth Officer, Peter Mizedya acknowledge increase in number of young men with mental health issues due to a number of factors, among them drug and substance abuse.

He said Blantyre Youth Office facilitates establishment of youth clubs to engage in a number of youth activities such as peer education on issues that negatively affect youth’s health and social well being, adding that youth clubs are therefore expected to discourage drug and substance abuse and all life styles that could compromise youth development.

“With risk vulnerability tool, issues to do with mental health are also discussed in youth clubs,” he added and further explained that district youth offices refer issues of mental health among youths to relevant authorities for counselling and treatment.