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A Look At The Plight Of A Female Addict In Balkh

Khurma 35 is one of the thousands of drug addicts in Afghanistan who do not have access to basic health services.

She has been an addict for twenty years. Although she regrets her addiction, she says there are no medical services in Balkh for those suffering from addiction.

Khurma lives in Khairabad village of Dawlatabad district in northern Balkh province. It is 40 kilometers from the provincial capital Mazar-e-Sharif. Some 200 families live in her village, the majority of whom have been suffering from drug addiction because of poverty, the lack of health services and easy access to drugs.

“I was working hard, gradually I started feeling pain all over my body. I was using drugs to treat my pain. But step by step I became an addicted person. One of my sons is also an addict. We have nothing, I am begging, my life is really painful,” she said.

Local residents say many in Khurma’s village are suffering from the same affliction.

Amir Mohammad 44 is the father of six children. He became an addict a decade ago. He lives in the same village as Khurma.

Amir Mohammad says poverty and unemployment ruined his life and drugs became a habit.

“I regret my addiction, but my regret does not resolve anything because there is no clinic here, nor are there medical treatment services,” said Amir Mohammad.

Police officials confirm many in Khurma’s village are suffering from addictions. “Nearly all people are suffering from addiction in this village including men and women – some due to poverty or unemployment,” said Abdul Fatah, the commander of public uprising force.

“Drugs are coming here from Badakhshan and Kunduz and are then distributed and people become addicted,” said tribal elder Jabbar Khan.

It is said that drugs are supplied in the village freely. However, no one dared to disclose the names of the drug mafia for security reasons.

A Look At The Plight Of A Female Addict In Balkh

She has been an addict for twenty years. Although she regrets her addiction, she says there are no medical services in Balkh for those suffering from addiction.

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Khurma 35 is one of the thousands of drug addicts in Afghanistan who do not have access to basic health services.

She has been an addict for twenty years. Although she regrets her addiction, she says there are no medical services in Balkh for those suffering from addiction.

Khurma lives in Khairabad village of Dawlatabad district in northern Balkh province. It is 40 kilometers from the provincial capital Mazar-e-Sharif. Some 200 families live in her village, the majority of whom have been suffering from drug addiction because of poverty, the lack of health services and easy access to drugs.

“I was working hard, gradually I started feeling pain all over my body. I was using drugs to treat my pain. But step by step I became an addicted person. One of my sons is also an addict. We have nothing, I am begging, my life is really painful,” she said.

Local residents say many in Khurma’s village are suffering from the same affliction.

Amir Mohammad 44 is the father of six children. He became an addict a decade ago. He lives in the same village as Khurma.

Amir Mohammad says poverty and unemployment ruined his life and drugs became a habit.

“I regret my addiction, but my regret does not resolve anything because there is no clinic here, nor are there medical treatment services,” said Amir Mohammad.

Police officials confirm many in Khurma’s village are suffering from addictions. “Nearly all people are suffering from addiction in this village including men and women – some due to poverty or unemployment,” said Abdul Fatah, the commander of public uprising force.

“Drugs are coming here from Badakhshan and Kunduz and are then distributed and people become addicted,” said tribal elder Jabbar Khan.

It is said that drugs are supplied in the village freely. However, no one dared to disclose the names of the drug mafia for security reasons.

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