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Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: COVID SAFRICA SUBSTANCE ABUSE
HEADLINE: WHO Says Africa Faces Rising Substance Abuse Post-COVID
TEASER: Precise data is lacking but there are signs addictions are on the rise, says a WHO advisor
PUBLISHED AT: Monday, 03/17/22 at 6:50 am
BYLINE: Linda Givetash, Zaheer Cassim
DATELINE: JOHANNESBURG
VIDEOGRAPHER: Zaheer Cassim
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Salem Solomon, pcd
VIDEO SOURCES: VOA Original, Zoom
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT: 3:06
VID APPROVED BY: wpm
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: There is a radio story accompanying this piece.))
((INTRO))
[[African health groups have warned that the COVID pandemic has led to a rise in drug and alcohol abuse on the continent, but a gap in data is making it hard to monitor. In South Africa, a Soweto-based nonprofit is scrambling to help youth to stay clean and sober. Linda Givetash reports from Johannesburg.]]
((NARRATOR))
Substance abuse — particularly alcohol consumption — has been on the rise in Africa for years, according to the World Health Organization.
The coronavirus pandemic that resulted in job losses and school closures has now amplified the problem.
This children’s charity in Soweto says as many as 10 young people contact them daily suffering from addiction.
((Lydia Motloung, Ikageng Acting Program Manager)) ((English, 18 secs))
“During the lockdowns, they used to go and drink and some they were left in the houses alone, the parents are at work. And they start having the house parties and introduced to the alcohol, end up into crystal meth, which is very common around here, especially with schoolchildren.”
((NARRATOR))
While Ikageng monitors the rise of addiction in young people they’re helping, national statistics on drug and alcohol abuse are sorely lacking.
((Lydia Motloung, Ikageng Acting Program Manager)) ((English, 25 secs))
(1“We normally get the statistics for COVID, you get the statistics for HIV, but we will never had any statistics for drugs and substance. I think if we can have that plan, the government can have that plan. … And then start funding the organization that are working with drugs and substance so that they fight it as they’re fighting for HIV and AIDS as they’re fighting for COVID.”
((NARRATOR))
It’s not just South Africa lacking data on substance abuse, but the continent as a whole.
((Florence Baingana, World Health Organization Africa Regional Advisor)) ((English, 23 sec)) ((Mandatory cg: Zoom))
“We may not count the exact numbers in each and every country. We know we have a problem. We also know that the services are inadequate, that one we know for a fact. Very often the alcohol treatment centers in the government facilities are underfunded.” “But I think if we were to begin by investing resources into building up the services, then we would be able to collect the data.”
((NARRATOR))
She says investing in prevention would also be beneficial and less costly than treating addiction later on.
Ikageng’s caregivers like Nomali Monareng look for warning signs among the children they support.
She knows them first-hand, having struggled with addiction herself. ((Nomali, Caregiver at Ikageng)) ((English, 20 secs))
“Sometimes we need to start with parents. Most of children don’t, you don’t know how to talk about their feelings, don’t know how to express. Children need to be to be taking care in all of their life, in all areas, like talking, having the conversation, even if it’s deep, even if it’s uncomfortable, you need to give the child a chance to talk.”
((NARRATOR))
For those looking to get clean, the organization refers them to support groups that help people transition in and out of rehab.
They’re trying to offer skills training as well, so recoveries can find jobs and a purpose.
((Vusi Nzimande, Still We Rise Project Manager)) ((English, 18 sec))
“Where you find people idling, they don’t do nothing with their lives. That’s one of those things that causes us because of the mind is playing around. You started thinking too much. You don’t have a job; you don’t have anything to do. And then suddenly you see yourself going back to your old ways.”
((NARRATOR))
For these youth, getting clean has been the first step. But experts say they’ll need opportunities and jobs to give them hope and keep them out of trouble in the long run.
((Linda Givetash, for VOA News, Johannesburg))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateMarch 17, 2022 06:56 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
