Nyeri: Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, the spouse of Kenya’s Deputy President, announced a plan to collaborate with national and county government medical facilities for the creation of specialized wards dedicated to the rehabilitation of drug and alcohol addicts. This announcement came during the official opening of the Ihururu Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre.

According to Kenya News Agency, the current capacity of both public and private rehabilitation centers in Kenya is insufficient to meet the growing demand for drug and alcohol addiction treatment. She highlighted the necessity of engaging the Ministry of Health to open rehabilitation wards in hospitals to address this crisis. Pastor Dorcas emphasized that the enormity of the addiction problem requires extraordinary measures to save the youth.

Furthering her commitment to this cause, Pastor Rigathi revealed plans to collaborate with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to extend its coverage to include rehabilitation and treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. She recognized that while addiction is a global issue affecting millions, the cost of rehabilitation remains prohibitive for many seeking treatment.

The Ihururu Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre, which began operations in September this year, was assessed and approved by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse (NACADA). It stands as the only public facility in the county offering drug and alcohol addiction treatment, with a 90-bed capacity and a treatment fee of Sh20,000 per month. At the time of its official opening, 16 patients were admitted, and Pastor Rigathi sponsored the admission of 43 men who voluntarily registered for treatment.

This initiative marks a significant step towards addressing the challenge of addiction treatment in Kenya, offering a more accessible solution for those in need.