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For many people in Afghanistan who have no access to healthcare, opium is often the only means they have to control pain. However, there is now a massive culture of dependency throughout the country. Islamic Relief has opened a new health centre in northern Afghanistan to treat dependency and to give people a chance to combat their addiction and begin a new life. Many of the people who are dependent on opium are women who use it to dull the pain caused by working for many hours on heavy weaving looms. To tackle this problem Islamic Relief in partnership with UNODC has set up a Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre health centre in Shortepa District, north Balkh, providing counselling, detoxification services and medical care.
Taza Gul is a patient at Islamic Relief's drug centre. She suffers from many medical and psychological problems and often feels suicidal.
"I gave birth to 11 daughters and sons but unfortunately six of them have passed away. In my last unsafe delivery I gave birth to twins, but I suffered severe problems after the birth and became seriously sick with continuous intolerable pain."
"As the time passed my problem got worse and the pain became tremendously agonizing, that I would crying all day and night. This is when I was advised to use opium for pain relief. I found it relaxed me and got rid of my pain and I didn't have any other access to painkillers because there was no health centre here at the time," she continued.
" I started working hard with my husband on our small home farm and tried to get labouring work where I could, but I found it difficult to leave my child at home as he used to cry when I was not there," Taza explained.
" Unfortunately I took the advice of my neighbour who told me to give my child some opium to relax him so I could go out to work. Many other mothers also do this. It is the decision between staying at home and having no money or to calm my son with the drug so I can earn money for their food."
Islamic Relief's drug treatment and rehabilitation centre in Shortepa provides residential care as well as support within people's homes including counselling, detoxification advice and regular follow ups to check patient's progress. It is part of a general health clinic that provides over 7,500 people with basic health care including ante natal and post natal care. Staff also carries out education and awareness-raising sessions about the harmful effects of drug use for the local communities.
Find out more about Islamic Relief's Health and Nutrition projects
Find out more about Islamic Relief in Afghanistan
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