The Catholic Church must lead in the fight against drugs and substance abuse

By Jjunju Francis

10^th March 2024

Leaders in the Catholic Church have been tasked to intensify the campaign against drug abuse and abortion among school going children.

A study by the school of public health Makerere University on Alcohol and drug abuse in 2020, it was revealed, The commonest substance abuse was alcohol at (52%) in a period of eight months (November 2019 to June 2020),” and clients use alcohol and drugs on a daily basis and chief among the contributing factors being peer pressure. The researchers also found that most of the clients are young, single and educated.

The Director Hope and Beyond Rehabilitation Center, Dr. David Kalema  while addressing students from various Catholic founded secondary schools in Kampala Archdiocese during the 2024 annual convention of the Uganda Martyrs Pro-life Apostolate (UMPA) at St. Balikuddembe Secondary School Mitala Maria, Mpigi District said the Catholic church must take a firm stand against drug abuse as its killing the young generation.

The convention was held under the theme; “Participate in the Church Mission of Protecting Life, Say No to Drugs”.

Dr. Kalema said the Church has a voice listened to by everyone in the country and through its structures, church leaders should make it appoint to come out strongly on drug abuse and abortion among the youth, in order to save their lives and enable them fulfill their dreams.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sandra Nabachwa, the Director UMPA tasked parents to find time amidst their busy schedules to guide their children because most children complain of absent parents which leads them to doing wrong things.

Uganda Martyrs Pro-life Apostolate is an organization stated by the late Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga in 2008 to promote and defend human life from the moment of conception until natural death, preserve the environment, guide and counsel youth in and out school on the best moral values and self protection.

Under the 2024 annual convention, Trinity College Nabbingo in Wakiso district topped the 47 pro-life clubs from various schools that participated. They created a Whatsapp group to encourage school students to promote life, held debate, wrote articles for the notes board for all to read about pro-life. They sensitized nearby schools about pro-life and held charity works for the needy.

The first runners-up was St. Kizito SSS Bugolobi in Nakawa division Kampala and the second runners-up was Kyambogo University.