The New Drug Control Master Plan Awaits Implementation
As Mauritius prepares to adopt a new National Drug Control Master Plan, community stakeholders and organizational leaders agree on one crucial priority: the document must not remain merely a piece of paper.
A master plan is primarily a "roadmap that gives the country direction," says Imran Dhannoo, head of the Dr. Idrice Goomany center. He emphasizes that this tool is central to establishing drug control programs and activities—addressing both demand and supply—over a specified period. He notes that prior to drafting the document, consultations with relevant parties were conducted.
However, for Imran Dhannoo, the real challenge lies in what happens after the writing is complete. "It seems to me that sometimes we have plans that we do not put into practice. 'We must not let them gather dust,'" he says. With the country already lagging in its fight against drugs, he advocates for the new plan's measures to be implemented "immediately." "We need to act quickly now that we have a plan." He believes that the actual implementation will serve as an indicator to measure the country's progress.
Rigorous monitoring is also necessary. "A committee must oversee the application of programs and activities." However, the issue of resources underpins the entire system. "Without a budget, there is no plan. This budget needs to be approved by all parties." He fears that the conflict in the Middle East may reduce available funding for these projects.
Inter-Island Collaboration
Imran Dhannoo has several expectations for the plan. He wants it to anticipate the dynamic evolution of synthetic drugs, enhance the capacities of organizations and NGOs, professionalize stakeholders, forecast new treatments for drug users, and support police and customs officers. He also advocates for inter-island collaboration, believing that monitoring a maritime territory of 2.4 million km² necessitates it. He adds that a master plan must be apolitical and ensure continuity by building on the lessons learned from the previous plan and on "committed individuals."
This concern for application is shared by Jamie Cartick, director of the urgency toxida collective. She recalls that the evaluation report of the 2019-2023 plan, conducted by Marie Claire Van Hout, shows that some measures have been implemented while others have not, due to various constraints. In her field, the National Drug Control Master Plan and the National HIV Action Plan are systematically "referred to when discussing activities or strategies." However, the fact that these measures are included in the plans provides associations with leverage to advocate against these resistances. "Plans are incredibly important for associations because the NSIF constantly refers to these national plans to approve or reject funding," she states.
Jamie Cartick is cautiously optimistic about the new plan. Associations were able to contribute to its development during working sessions. Under the leadership of Dr. Kunal Naik and Nadia Peerun, respectively CEO and chairperson of the National Agency for Drug Control, "NGOs hope that the plan will be respected as much as possible." Nevertheless, she remains realistic. "We are aware that there are significant human resource challenges in the health sector and in terms of facilities, so we know there will still be difficulties."
From the NGO DRIP (Development, Gathering, Information, and Prevention), Danny Philippe, in charge of prevention and advocacy, gives a nuanced assessment of the previous plan. The association has sought to implement various measures and coordinate with other organizations. "The plan did not sit idle in a drawer, even if not all measures could be fully implemented," he says. He laments the abandonment of the Youth Empowerment Against Drug program, initiated by the National Drug Secretariat. "The program aimed at uniting the community started to work, but there was no follow-up."
Psychoactive Products
Danny Philippe hopes that the proposals from NGOs will be integrated into the new plan. DRIP has notably advocated for prevention measures targeting young children due to the increasing incidence of psychoactive substance use among them. Drugs can now affect primary school students, that is, children under 12 years old. The NGO is already conducting campaigns in this regard and hopes that the new plan will allow for nationwide deployment.
Social workers point out that some advancements are being blocked by internal resistances, despite the good intentions laid out in various plans and the relevance of the initiatives they contain. The true test of the new Master Plan will occur on the ground and in its implementation. Often, the obstacles to practical application come from "certain officials."
