{
  "id": 14116960,
  "title": "NACADA urges counties to establish drug rehabilitation centres",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/nacada-urges-counties-to-establish-drug-rehabilitation-centres",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-13T04:16:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "People Daily Kenya",
    "slug": "people-daily-kenya",
    "url": "https://peopledaily.digital/news/nacada-urges-counties-to-establish-drug-rehabilitation-centres"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has called on county governments to establish rehabilitation centers to assist Kenyans battling alcohol and drug addiction in accessing treatment and recovery services. Speaking on Monday, October 12, 2026, NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa emphasized the need for counties to expand rehabilitation facilities to accommodate individuals seeking professional assistance. He also urged private investors to contribute to the establishment of additional treatment centers. Omerikwa noted that the government is taking measures to combat drug abuse through rehabilitation efforts and intelligence-led operations targeting the supply of illegal substances. He highlighted the role of the Social Health Authority (SHA) in facilitating access to addiction treatment for those in need. Omerikwa stressed the shortage of rehabilitation facilities, calling for collaboration between county governments and private healthcare providers. He encouraged private sector involvement in expanding treatment services, stating that government facilities alone cannot address the growing demand. Addiction treatment is recognized under SHA's healthcare financing arrangements, making it a covered benefit within insurable products. Omerikwa explained that rehabilitation is considered a relapsing mental disease, and people seeking rehab may access certain services through SHA, depending on the applicable benefits and eligibility requirements. The government aims to combine operations against drug suppliers with programs focused on reducing substance abuse. Omerikwa stated that the approach involves an intelligence-led strategy on the supply suppression side, with rehabilitation as part of efforts to reduce drug demand and support addiction recovery. However, he did not disclose the number of counties lacking rehabilitation centers or provide a timeline for establishing additional facilities. Families seeking treatment continue to face concerns regarding the availability, affordability, and accessibility of rehabilitation services in their counties.",
  "summary": "The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has urged county governments to establish rehabilitation centres to help Kenyans struggling with alcohol and drug addiction access treatment and recovery services. Speaking on Monday, October 12, 2026, NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa said counties should expand rehabilitation facilities to accommodate…",
  "key_points": [
    "NACADA urges counties to establish drug rehabilitation centers.",
    "Government and private sector collaboration needed for rehabilitation expansion.",
    "Addiction treatment covered under SHA's healthcare financing arrangements."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Shifting the burden of addiction recovery to local governments and private investors addresses a critical shortage of facilities while leveraging social health insurance to improve treatment accessibility for struggling families.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}