IEA turns Kandahar Prison into treatment center for drug addicts

The officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) turned a prison into a center for the treatment of drug addicts in Kandahar city of Afghanistan.

Kandahar Central Prison is home to around 800 drug addicts, along with 1,000 inmates.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency Video News (AAVN) on Friday, the deputy of prison Mavlawi Mansuri said that “We have provided many facilities to them (addicts). We have hired a special teacher to advise them to quit drugs. We have also set up a clinic for them which we take out every day and treat them. If they are not treated here and we take to them a general hospital and a special addicts hospital. We try our best to make them healthy and well.”

Mohammed, one of the addicts, said that he was happy with the treatment center’s services as he can get enough food to eat.

“Now that we’re in prison we’re all addicted. We were all in the city cemetery, where on the main street of the city, it was full of city cemeteries. No one (addicts) got enough food in four or three days but now in this prison, we eat three times a day, this prison is very good for us.”

“I was detained by the Taliban (IEA) in the Arghandab district for about two weeks and have been here for a month now. If the addict wants to be healthy, he can. I am now steadfast in my ablutions and prayers,” another addict Bashir Ahmad said.

Although the health plan considers such treatment of drug addicts illegal and arbitrary, prison officials say they are trying to make it easier.

It is estimated that around three million people are currently addicted to drugs across the country, with widespread poppy cultivation and easy access to narcotics being the main reasons.

The IEA, however, has not commented in this regard.