National Drug Agency (NDA) states there are over 10,000 drug addicts in the Maldives, a nation with a population of about half a million.
Speaking during state media, PSM’s ‘Raajje Miadhu’ program on Saturday night, NDA’s Chairperson and State Minister for Ministry of Homeland Security Ahmed Siddeeq, citing statistics, said there are over 10,000 drug addicts in the Maldives. He added this is a worrying figure for a country with a population of about half a million.
“Considering that the Maldives has a population of some 450,000 people, 10,000 [drug addicts] is a concerning figure,” he said.
Siddeeq pointed out that, being an island nation, the Maldives’ surrounding seas make it easier to smuggle drugs into the country and even onward to other nations. He credited the persistent efforts of the Maldives Police Service and the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) for preventing narcotics from being more widespread.
Speaking further, Siddeeq highlighted the challenges faced by the NDA, as drug addicts from various islands must be transported to the capital, Malé. He explained that drug use varies across the Maldives depending on population density, with more cases in densely populated areas and fewer in less populated regions.
He pointed out that although nine rehabilitation centers exist in densely populated areas, their capacity must be increased to meet the higher number of drug addicts in such areas.
Siddeeq added that NDA has received the greenlight from the government for funding and resources required for the Agency’s rehabilitation centers.
He highlighted that one of the major challenges for the NDA is the relapse of recovered addicts after returning to society, often due to insufficient support from their families.
In this regard, he detailed that the state exhausts a huge budget on the recovery of drug addicts, which is not limited to their treatment, but also their housing and food, in addition to salaried staff.