The St. Giles Hospital has seen a concerning surge in registered cases this year, reaching a staggering 7,500, with a significant portion attributed to substance abuse.

In contrast to the previous average of five monthly substance abuse cases, the current rate has skyrocketed to 20 to 30 cases per month.

Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mason Smith emphasizes the need for a united effort to curb the consumption, production, and distribution of drugs in the country.

[Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mason Smith]

He anticipates the year-end tally to exceed 1,000 cases, highlighting the potential severe impact on the families of those grappling with drug addiction.

“The way the trend is going, we will hit 10,000 patients by the end of this year at St. Giles simply from drug abuse. And that’s scary, that 10,000 patients have families; they have brothers and sisters; they have mothers; and the impact on their economy is great. So we’re losing 10,000 people to this, to one drug alone, which is meth. And that’s an issue that we have to face.”

Smith says there are ongoing efforts to enhance their capabilities in preventing, identifying, and combating drug-related activities.