THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF KADUNA STATE HADIZA BALARABE HAS PARTICIPATED AT A VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME (#UNODC). (PHOTO).

 The Deputy Governor of Kaduna state Hadiza Balarabe has participated at a virtual meeting of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (#UNODC)

The Deputy Governor says the invitation reflects the strong and growing partnership between UNODC and Kaduna State, a partnership that has supported the efforts to confront the complex challenges of substance use with clarity, compassion and courage as for many years, the global response to substance use disorder has relied heavily on punishment. 

This approach filled  prisons but failed to heal our communities. That is why  Kaduna State is  choosing another path. recognizing  that the cycle of addiction and incarceration is not a moral failure. It is a public health challenge that demands a humane, integrated answer. That answer is what we call “The Kaduna Model”.

A foundation rests firmly on human rights replacing restrictive colonial-era laws with the Kaduna State Mental Health Bill, which affirms mental health as a basic human right and shields our citizens from discrimination. The state transform  the former Bureau for Substance Abuse into the Kaduna State Substance Abuse Prevention and Mental Health Services Agency, KADSAMHSA, an institution with a unified mandate to oversee mental, neurological and substance use services. This transformation gave the people of Kaduna access to a system built on dignity, equity and care.

A defining element of The Kaduna Model is our Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) programme. Through technical partnership with the UNODC, Kaduna State became the first jurisdiction in Nigeria and the only one in Sub-Saharan Africa to implement this model at such a comprehensive scale.