Source: The Health Connection Newsletter | 2nd Quarter 2023
Harare, Zimbabwe, and Victoria, Seychelles | Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division
The International Commission for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Dependence (ICPA) Zimbabwe charter hosted an addiction recovery program in Harare, Zimbabwe, from April 14-16, 2023, convening nearly 200 participants nationwide. Participants included Adventist pastors, health professionals, and collaborators from civil society, non-governmental organizations, and other faith communities. The training was co-sponsored by Southern Africa Indian Ocean Division (SID) ICPA/Health Ministries and the General Conference (GC) Health Ministries departments. “The opportunity to partner with our government is critical,” stated Perpetua Moodley, Zimbabwe ICPA director. “Addictions are destroying lives, and the opportunity to collaborate to bring recovery through a Christ-centered approach is immense,” she added. Following the Zimbabwe training, the SID and GC HM departments co-sponsored the same training in collaboration with the Seychelles Mission. Seychelles is ranked first in the world in opioid addiction prevalence, and the youth are particularly at risk. Government officers from the Seychelles Ministry of Health recounted the grave concern about finding practical solutions for the prevention and recovery of addictions, and welcomed a collaboration with the Adventist church, reported Pr. Vissen Mootoosamy, Seychelles Mission president. “We are looking forward to assist the community and to facilitate healing as we build collaborations with civil society and share the Christ-centered approach to recovery that we have learned during this training,” he added.
