This was said by the Commissioner for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of DCEA, Dr Peter Mfisi in an exclusive interview with this paper in Dar es Salaam last week.
Dr Mfisi mentioned some of the indicators which show that there is a decrease of drugs in the country such as: Firstly, its street market price is high compared to the prices in other neighbouring countries. He noted “When the supply is low, the price goes up.”
The second indicator that shows there is a decrease of drugs in the country is because currently many Tanzanians who were using illegal drugs, have resorted to using alternative drugs as supplement to the usage of hard drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and others.
Alternatives are prescriptions drugs with psychoactive properties that are used for treatments but can naturally intoxicate one if used inappropriately.
According to Dr Mfisi, they are using alternative drugs because cocaine, heroin and its sorts are currently sold at higher prices by drug barons due to their shortage.
Also, some former drug users are now seeking treatments; why? Because they can’t afford to buy those drugs and they are not easily found.
He further noted that according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes [UNODC] report of 2019, Tanzania has clamped down the importation of Heroin directly from the source by 90 percent.
He mentioned some of the major reasons for the decrease of the importation of illegal drugs are: Political will and commitment of the current regime to arrest the situation. Other reasons are the enactment of the drug control and enforcement Act number 5 of 2015; and the establishment of DCEA in the country.
According to DrMfisi DCEA was established in 2017 under The Drug Control and Enforcement Act No.5 of 2015. Its functions are based on four key pillars namely: Drug supply reduction, drug demand reduction, drug harm reduction and regional and International Corporation.
Through these four pillars, DCEA has been conducting various operations to arrest drug traffickers and seize their drugs then take them to court and destroy cannabis and khat plantations.
DCEA educates the society on the negative impacts of illegal drugs so as to reduce its demand and need.
They also treat drug addicts, treat diseases associated with drug use like human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], Tuberculosis [TB], skin diseases, hepatitis type c. “We don’t only treat their addiction, we also treat associated physical and mental illnesses.” DrMfisi said.
Geographically Tanzania is situated in a place where it is easier to import a large number of illegal drugs particularly heroin directly from sources compared to some neighboring countries.
Why? Heroin is produced in Afghanistan and transported to Pakistan and Iran then by means of vessels can easily be transported to Tanzania through the Indian Ocean.
DrMfisi said Tanzania is a transit country because not all drugs imported through this country are used here; no, rather they are repacked and then sent to other parts of the world including West Africa, America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
“With regards to their involvement in regional and International Corporation, Commissioner Mfisi noted “Drug traffickers don’t have political boundaries, so, in order to arrest their international network syndicate, as a country we need to join hands and collaborate with other countries.”
He said that despite several challenges, including limited resources, extended Indian Sea border from Tanga to Mtwara, which are used by drug barons to penetrate and import drugs, still they are working tirelessly to ensure Tanzania becomes free from drug trafficking destinations.
Commissioner Mfisi said that their organisation has been taking stern measures against officials who are bribed by drug barons.
“I can confidently say corruption among our officials has been halted because we currently arrest people with huge financial muscles who are implicated in drug business.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner Mfisi has clearly said that cannabis [bhang] and khat [mirungi] are drugs that are strongly prohibited in the country, although some countries have allowed them to be consumed.
Some of the prohibited drugs which are mostly consumed in the country are cannabis, heroin, cocaine and khat, among others. He further said that the use of prescription drugs with psychoactive properties such as valium, pethidine, ketamine as drugs of abuse is also on the rise.
According to the National consensus on key population size and HIV prevalence in 2014, there are approximately 300,000 People who use heroin in Tanzania, ranging from 250,000 to 500,000. About 30,000 people use drugs by injection. This is associated with a high risk of transmission of blood borne diseases such as HIV Hepatitis C and others due to their habit of sharing injecting equipment.
DrMfisi said, the ggovernment in collaboration with other stakeholders, has established 15 medically assisted therapy (MAT) centres where people addicted with heroin are given Methadone. In these centres other services including HIV testing and counselling, antiretroviral therapy, Prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and others are being offered to people with drug use disorders and their partners.
“I call upon all stakeholders to join hands with the government to establish rehabilitation centres that will be used to bring to normalcy these former drug users. Adding:
We need to train them and equip them with skills that will enable them to live as normal people in our community instead of bullying and marginalizing them.”
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