Nearly 20 women have rejoined their families after completing their treatment for drug addiction at Hope Medical Center in the Eastern Province, said Muhammad Al-Zahrani, manager of the center. At present there are no female addicts undergoing treatment at the hospital, he said. No further details were disclosed. Privacy of addicts' records is heavily guarded, he explained. Al-Zahrani said that the center serves the entire Eastern Province, emphasizing that there is no need as of now to open new hospitals due to the very limited number of cases. As a preventive measure, Al-Zahrani has called for more public awareness of drug addiction, especially among young people. Last month, the Hemaya “Protection” Society (HS) urged the Ministry of Health to take concerted action to help female drug addicts, while criticizing the stance taken by the previous health minister. The society called upon the ministry to provide more beds at Jeddah's Al-Amal Hospital for the treatment of women addicts in the Makkah region. Last week the Cabinet ordered setting up a fund to support families of drug addicts as well as to train and employ those who have been rehabilitated. The Cabinet decree is significant as the number of drug addiction cases are rising in the Kingdom. A report presented to the Shoura Council said there were around 150,000 young Saudi men and women drug users in the Kingdom.
