Cllr Rina Marx, Tshwane MMC for Health said the training of “30 Upcoming Peer Educators in Eersterust on Dangers of Drug and Substance Abuse is part of the Community Orientated Substance Use Programme (COSUP) run by the City in partnership with the University of Pretoria.
“COSUP is a harm-reduction programme informed by scientific evidence that is aimed at addressing drug and substance abuse in Tshwane,” she said.
Ms Marx said the objectives are to prevent, treat, rehabilitate and reintegrate people affected by substance abuse through community-orientated primary care intervention.
“Those in need of assistance are serviced at 16 operating sites across the city. The reach to communities is expanded through street medicine and street therapy to service those who are unable to visit the sites,” she added.
Ms. Marx said trainees were taken through the different types of drugs and related effects, factors enabling substance abuse, harm and demand reduction and the stigma attached to substance abuse.
Once empowered, these peer educators will use their knowledge to help strengthen awareness in their respective communities about the dangers associated with substance abuse.
