Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Drug Agency (NDA) to conduct drug rehabilitation programmes at prisons targeted for inmates serving a sentence for drug-related offences.
The MoU was signed on February 27 by Commissioner of Prisons Ahmed Mohamed Fulhu and the Acting CEO of NDA Mohamed Rameez. The signing ceremony was also attended by Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem and Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla.
Under the MoU, NDA will be assisting MCS in conducting drug rehabilitation programmes at prisons targeted for inmates serving a sentence for drug-related offences for the duration of MoU, which is a period of one year. The drug rehabilitation programmes will be conducted by trained and specialised doctors, nurses, counsellors, case workers and prison officers of MCS.
In addition, NDA will also assist to conduct the aftercare programme for participants following the completion of in-house or residential programmes. The MoU also encourages verifying the sustainability of the programmes through data collection, revising the programme based on the evaluation of the collected data and compilation of a procedure to monitor inmates of the programme after their released back in to the society after the completion of their sentence.
A large number of inmates in prisons are serving time for drug-related offences. MCS revealed a total of 184 inmates were sentenced to prison for drug-related offences from January 2021 to October 2021. MCS stated the initiation of a drug rehabilitation programme at prisons will help inmates with substance abuse issues considerably and marks a milestone in the efforts of MCS to rehabilitate and reform inmates in time for their return to the society as good citizens upon the completion of their sentences.