"In 2022, we had 15,122 patients with mental behavioral disorders resulting from the consumption of psychoactive substances compared to 10,144 the previous year," said Orlando Carlos, head of the GCPCD's Public Education and Outreach Department.

Carlos was speaking at a press conference to announce the GCPCD's activity report. He said that the cases were related to people who sought medical attention at health units, leaving out situations that were not reported to hospitals.

The increase may also reflect a greater awareness in Mozambican society of the illnesses that drug use can cause in users and the importance of seeking medical help.

Orlando Carlos said that in 2022, the number of people with mental disorders related to the intake of psychoactive substances who were reintegrated into their families rose to 916, compared to 793 who returned home in 2021.

The province of Nampula registered the highest number of patients related to drug use in 2022, 5,435, followed by the city of Maputo, with 2,272 and Manica, 2,111.

Augusto Bambo, an inspector at the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), said at the press conference that Mozambique's vast coastline and long, porous border make the country a "preferential" point for drug trafficking from Asia and Latin America destined for domestic consumption and supply to other countries.

(Lusa)