KUCHING: Sarawak Social Development Council fully supports the establishment of One Stop Centre for Addiction (OSCA).
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development (KKWPK) Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah stated that drug abuse is one of the 11 issues that the MPSS focused on.
“OSCA is part of the chains of programmes and activities that are in an integrated and holistic manner in our efforts to address drug abuse in Sarawak.
“Our one stop committee (OSC) dealing with this issue consists of various agencies from its operation and enforcement as well as rehabilitation centers for it. We have to work together to fight this drug related issue as it cannot be handled by only one agency,” she stated.
The newly opened OSCA at Petra Jaya Health Clinic is the second branch in whole Sarawak after the Miri branch.
“According to the mapping and zoning by district on the level of risk for drug related issues and substance in Sarawak, we have nine districts that are in the high risk level namely Kuching, Limbang, Bau, Miri, Sibu, Lawas, Bintulu, Samarahan, and Serian.
“I hope that seven more OSCA branches will be established in the high risk districts.
“We are well aware that the numbers of addicts are high yet the success rate of recovery is low as the facilities to undergo the recovery which are not as many,” she added.
As of Feb 28, a total of 1,922 Orang Kena Pengawasan (OKP) is monitored by National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) Sarawak which is an increase of 2.23 percent compared to Dec 2020 (1,880 cases).
“So far, a total of 112 clients received their treatments through OSCA. I am confident that the number of clients at OSCA will increase with collaboration between the OSC for Menangani Isu Dadah dan Subtance (MIDS) Sarawak and OSC MIDS Kuching,” she said.
On the contrary, the state level OSC MIDS this year had planned to enhance their operations to combat the drug abuse activity as well as enhancing treatment and rehabilitation interventions for individuals and families who are addicted.
They also planned to strengthen the governance of OSC MIDS in the state as well as districts in Sarawak. They would also establish more centres for the addicts and expande OSCA services including improving internal prevention programmes to curb drug abuse and substance issues.
In addition, they also mentioned that they would strengthen tactical and logistic needs for the enforcement of abusive activities drugs and substances, such as equipment drug detection, addiction detection and urine confirmation.
