The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has launched a comprehensive initiative aimed at addressing the alarming rise in drug abuse rates among university students across Kenya.
This significant plan comes in response to the disturbing findings from the recent survey on the Status of Drugs and Substance Use among university students in Kenya.
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The survey highlighted a pressing need for collective action to combat this growing crisis, revealing alarming trends that demand urgent intervention.
“NACADA is launching a comprehensive initiative to engage universities and institutions of higher learning in addressing the growing concern of drug and substance use among students,” read the statement in part.
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NACADA Introduces Major Initiative for All Universities as Drug Abuse Cases Soar
According to the Authority, the initiative also complies with a directive from Interior CS, Kipchumba Murkomen, who has called for immediate action to curb this menace.
The Authority will conduct a series of regional engagements to bring together all stakeholders in the university education sector.
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These engagements will be held across various regions clustered as the former provinces to ensure inclusivity and effective participation.
They will involve university administrators, students, staff, government agencies, and other key stakeholders in developing sustainable solutions to this challenge.
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According to NACADA, the regional forums will provide a platform for stakeholders to share insights, identify root causes, and collaboratively design prevention and intervention strategies.
The engagements will also focus on strengthening partnerships between NACADA, universities, and other stakeholders to enhance prevention, rehabilitation, and awareness efforts.
Additionally, the regional engagements will serve as an opportunity to mobilize resources and share best practices to support universities in implementing effective drug control programs.
“The Authority underscores the importance of equipping students with life skills and knowledge to resist peer pressure and make informed decisions,” NACADA said.
“Prevention is our most powerful tool. By empowering students and creating awareness, we can significantly reduce the demand for drugs and build a resilient generation.”
Also Read: Murkomen Addresses Sex for Marks in Universities
Survey Reveals Alarming Drug Abuse in Universities
The recent survey revealed that nearly half of students in our universities have abused at least one drug or substance in their lifetime.
The survey identified alcohol, bhang, and prescription drugs as the most commonly abused substances among this population.
Findings showed that there were proportionately more students from public universities (68.5 per cent) compared to private universities (31.5 per cent).
Over half (54.2 per cent) of the student population were male and 45.2 per cent were female while 0.6 per cent did not state their sex, according to NACADA.
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