Women with drug dependence need access to health care

By Lakshmi Kothaneth — MUSCAT: March 5 - Oman is trying to get an accurate data on the number of women depended on psychotropic substances, as increasing number of women involvement in drug abuse is becoming an international concern. The challenges are many says Dr Ameira Raidan, Director of Health Education and Awareness Programme and head of Mental Health at the Department of Non-Communicable Diseases. “We see about 5 to 6 cases per year coming to the clinics.  We have way fewer cases compared to men. Then again, it is the data. There is a stigma when it comes to women coming for treatment and there is a concern for her future and this is probably why they are hesitant to approach us. These are my thoughts,” remarked Dr Ameira.

The biggest challenge the women who are trying to come off drug addiction is the treatment area itself. “We do not have a female addiction unit, and maybe this is one of the main challenges in approaching us. It could also be a possibility women go outside the country for rehabilitation. We need family awareness, especially on how to deal with female addicts. Women addicts go through hormonal and psychological changes. They become very sensitive and fragile,” explained Dr Ameira.

Sameer al Balushi, a therapist at the rehabilitation centre and a member of the awareness group at Oman National Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, who was with the stall at the Muscat International Book Fair to reach out to the general public to spread awareness, agrees.

“The women have a Narcotics Anonymous meeting once a week, which is for ‘women only’. They also have meetings to understand the 12 Steps that help to recover. This is the self-help support group as well,” said Sameer.

But would there be women who still have not crossed the barriers to reach out for help – women with substance abuse problem.

To tackle the issue the Royal Decree (number 34/2015) Combat Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug law introduced amendments and brought in stiffer penalties such as the death penalty and a life sentence for drug peddlers and smugglers.

Meanwhile, the International Narcotics Control Board’s (INCB) 2016 Annual Report calls for drug policies that take women into account, as countries register a disproportionate rise in overdoses among females.

INCB stresses in its Report, published today, that governments should give priority to providing healthcare access for drug-dependent women and calls for more funding and coordination to prevent and treat drug abuse among women.

INCB President Werner Sipp said: “We want to change perceptions and remind people, particularly policymakers, of the importance of protecting the rights of women who use drugs or who have committed drug-related offences and the rights of their families.”

INCB adds, “Women and girls comprise one third of global drug users, with levels of drug use higher among women in high-income countries. However, just one fifth of treatment recipients are women, as significant systemic, structural, social, cultural and personal barriers affect women’s ability to access substance abuse treatment.

Compared to men, women are more likely to be prescribed narcotics and anti-anxiety medication, and are consequently more likely to abuse such medication. For example, Germany and Serbia have reported that fatal overdoses from prescription drugs are more frequent among women. Additionally, countries such as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have seen larger increases in overdoses, of all substances, among women than among men.”