Ukhrul, May 14: With the number of drug addicts crossing ten thousand in Ukhrul district where there is only one rehab centre that can accommodate just twelve clients at a time, one can imagine the prolonged quest of thousands of drug dependents for a healing touch.

In this drug-affected region, even teenaged girls have fallen into the trap of drugs.

With no access to any detoxification or other treatment centre and with the only existing rehab centre, Born Again Rehabilitation, designed exclusively for boys, the plight of the young girls is pathetic.

The land of Ukhrul has turned out to be a nightmare if one goes by the story of thousands of drug users who started taking drugs from a tender age.

"Many girls approached us to participate in the ongoing 15 days detoxification camp as cooks or helpers for fear of social stigmatisation, but on our part, simply because of accommodation problem we could not entertain their request," said Mayola Ngamchiyo who is the coordinator of Youth With a Mission (YWM), an international, interdenominational and mission oriented organisation.

She also disclosed that there are more than 500 girls in the age group of 17 to 25 in Ukhrul district who have fallen prey to drugs but due to unavailability of special care they usually end up with frustration.

"I am amazed to learn that many drug users are talented in different fields like singing and music, painting, drawing and other creative activities", she added.

Highlighting the main objectives of organising the free 15 days detoxification camp at Kamphasom, Viewland Ukhrul, the director of YWM Mayoshang Kasar maintained that such initiative is being designed for the first time ever since YWM came into existence in the month of February this year, to reduce the harmful consequences among substance users that is rising at an alarming rate.

On the activities covered so far during the free camp that began from May 3, Mayoshang informed that they have identified 7 drug users who are currently undergoing a detoxification course under the guidance of resource persons from different NGOs/CBOs across the State and abroad.

Doctors and nurses are also fully engaged.

Further detailing the programme, he said "Our camp is focusing not only on treating campers physically but also on providing them mental and spiritual solace through gospel news".

As part of recreations we take them out for a stroll, provide them entertainment programmes on TV, Videos.

Input sessions based on camper oriented topic are being conducted and we also meet the parents of campers to assess certain things towards making the programme a fruitful one", he added during press conference.

While interacting with media persons, one of the campers, Mac Keishing said, drug addiction is just a mental disease that can be healed by spiritual message.

On queried how the ongoing camp is different and special from that of other detoxification camps he had participated in the past, Mac replied, "I thought I have no one to care for me in this world, but after attending this camp I realised that I was wrong.

I have not received such love and care that I receive here".

Unlike other camp, this camp provides us not only physical treatment but also provide mental and spiritual solace by through gospel news which is so precious," he added.

Niklas, a Swedish National who is also a member of YWM International Leadership, during a press meet expressed his joy at having such a warm meeting and said that he is privileged to land in Manipur to serve the people who are caught in the whirlpool of drugs.

Such an initiative, Niklas said is the good news of Gospel for the people of Manipur which shows that there is a way out of addiction and other problems.

Media persons also called on the Born Again Rehabilitation Centre (BARC) at Meizailung, situated about 2 kms from Ukhrul town along Leishiphung Christian Hospital road and discovered 12 male clients/drug users undergoing treatment.

The project director of BARC Rammayo Marchang informed that due to lack of awareness about drugs, people in the locality usually take our clients in the wrong sense and stressed on the need to educate the public about drug abuse to help in the smooth working of the ministry.

BARC was finally allotted with the project in 2005 under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and so far it has treated 2012 clients, and some of them who have recovered work here as washer, sweeper, cook etc, Rammayo maintained.

S Ayo (42) and Somishon Khangrah are the first clients of BARC.

While Ayo is a sweeper, Somishon works as a liaison between BARC and various clients in the villages.

They both expressed joy at freed from drugs and are not inclined to return home but to spend their lives in the rehab centre.

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