February 28: Number of drug users in the country is increasing every year. On the contrary Bhutan has only one rehabilitation centre established by the Youth Development Fund in Serbithang. It can accommodate only up to 12 addicts. As a result chances of getting timely treatment for the addicts are very slim. 

Sangay (name changed) is one of the many drug addicts in the country. He is waiting for a bed to get empty in the rehabilitation centre. He has already waited for the last several months.

Meanwhile, Sangay is taking the counselling programme from the drop-in centre for drugs and alcohol in Thimphu. “I haven’t seen my parents for the last seven years. If they were with me I wouldn’t have gone this far” he said.

The drop-in centre is seeing an increasing number of addicts every day. The centre provides counselling to the addicts and refers them to the rehabs both within and outside Bhutan. It also gives follow up programmes for the recovering addicts.

“We do have so many clients who need to go through the whole process of treatment centre. But unfortunately we have only one rehab centre which can treat only 12 people at a time. Even the detoxification unit in the hospital is always packed with addicts” said Nima, one of the 3 peer counsellors.

The centre doesn’t promise to solve problems of any one but it teaches the addicts how to live without drugs and alcohol. The centre at least helps the addicts to stay away from doing drugs and alcohol for sometime by engaging them here.

“In order to help them you have to understand their feelings first, gain their trust and confidence” he said.

The professional counsellors say society, parents and teachers can do a lot in preventing the youth getting from getting hooked to drugs and alcohol. Addicts say if their rights and needs are looked into time, and fear and pressure gets replaced by trust and confidence many can be saved from doing drugs.