NAIROBI, kenya Feb 15 – The Anglican Church of Kenya has partnered with the National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) to fight alcohol and drug abuse.
The partnership is meant to empower faith leaders, clergy and the congregation understand the magnitude of drug and alcohol abuse in society.
ACK Secretary Bishop Lawrence Dean on Sunday said together with NACADA they would encourage all bishops and clergy to mainstream drug and substance abuse messages in their worship services.
“We want to scale up current initiatives in the church so as to incorporate alcoholism and addiction messages,” Bishop Dena stated at the launch of the partnership at the All Saints Cathedral, after the Sunday service.
Bishop Dena urged the government to allocate more resources to the campaign against drug and alcohol abuse, through public education.
He said extra funds could also be used to create more opportunities for the youth, who are more prone to substance abuse, in order to ensure meaningful engagement at work and use of leisure time.
‘Government should put stringent measure which will fortify our endeavors to cut supply of drugs into this country because we must protect our people from the current influx of drugs,”
Speaking at the launch NACADA Board Chairman Dr Frank Njenga said they were seeking the church’s support in preventing drug abuse as well as in providing treatment and rehabilitation of persons living with the challenge of drug and alcohol dependence.
“Without everybody’s commitment this problem will simply not go away. And that this why we are working with the Muslims, Hindu’s and indeed with any Kenyan who has the commitment to deal with this problem which is causing great concern to all our citizens.”
NACADA works with different partners in its effort to bridge the gap of knowledge about drug and substance abuse.
The main function for the agency is to campaign against drug abuse and create awareness on the dangers of drug abuse.
NACADA also coordinates all other government agencies or departments concerned with suppression of supply and drug demand reduction.
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