Rwanda is set to launch a specialised treatment and medical centre that will seek to provide care and treatment to drug addicts.

The Isange Rehabilitation Centre is an initiative of the Rwanda National Police (RNP) in partnership with the ministries of Health, and Gender and Family Promotion.

The construction of buildings to house the centre, based in Huye District, is almost complete and officials say the next move will be equipping the facility before it opens for the public.

Officials told The New Times that once operational, the centre will employ a multi-disciplinary approach to improve the lives of individuals living with devastating effects of drug and alcohol addiction.

It will also serve as a regional forensic and medical centre of excellence in the provision of high quality, innovative, supportive and comprehensive care and treatment to drug addicts, ACP Dr Wilson Rubanzana, RNP Commissioner for Medical Services, said during a tour of the facility on Monday.

The visit brought together the Minister of Health Dr Agnes Binagwaho, the minister for Gender and Family Promotion, Oda Gasinzigwa, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Emmanuel Gasana, among other officials.

"Studies have shown that drug abuse is the major cause of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and by establishing this centre, we hope to stop GBV from its source,” Rubanzana said.

While there are no official figures on how many individuals are suffering from medical and psychological effects of drug addiction in the country, Rubanzana said drug abuse remains a major issue in the community.

The centre will have a capacity to accommodate at least 60 in-patients and hundreds of out-patients.

It will be the first of its kind in the country and is expected to serve as a reference facility for cases related to alcohol addiction.

"These people need special care during their rehabilitation,” Binagwaho said.

"The centre will mostly offer mental health services and rehabilitation in relation to drug abuse,” she added.

She said that by setting up a specialised centre for drug addicts, the government aimed at offering them quality services.

It is not yet clear when the centre will open but officials insist it will be launched soon.

Dr Binagwaho said funds are available to equip the centre except for its laboratories.

"We have several well-equipped hospitals around and these facilities can still serve patients as we equip the centre’s laboratories,” Binagwaho said. "The lab will just make the centre fully autonomous.”

A team of specialised medical personnel is ready to take up the management of the centre and have already started seeing individuals for out-patient consultations, Binagwaho said.

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