Dorcas Rigathi urges parents to accept children fighting drug addiction

Dorcas, who was speaking on Sunday evening during a football tournament in Kiambu said there is need for such children to be loved and understood by their families for them to heal. She said stigmatizing and condemning them will push them away from their recovery.

“Drug addiction and alcoholism is actually a disease. You cannot condemn people who are sick, what you need is to understand them and help them to overcome,” she said, adding that her office is working towards rehabilitating the addicts in inpatient and outpatient programs.

“We don’t stigmatize this thing (Alcoholism). If your child is on drugs, don’t be ashamed. Bring them and we will work towards validating their dream. Do not reject your children. It is for us as parents, as a society, as a community to make sure that this generation is not lost,” she added.

The tournament brought together a team of those recovering from drug and substance abuse and alcoholism who have been involved in technical training and counselling.

Kiambu Sub County DCC Titus Macharia said the fight against alcoholism in the region has made good progress thanks to the combined efforts between the administration and the community.

“Without the people being sober, no matter what the government does, we will not benefit from the things the government does. In Kiambu we have reduced the consumption of illicit brews to the barest minimum,” he said.