National Drug Agency (NDA) has stated that rehabilitation treatment centres will be set up in three parts of the country.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, on the recommendation of the Cabinet, has also decided to set up these centres for the treatment of drug users and allow them to operate in accordance with the law, the National Drug Agency (NDA) said on Monday.

"The agency took the initiative and discussed setting up and operating of treatment centres in the country and abroad through private parties, as defined in Section 17/2011 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act," NDA said in a statement.

In order to rehabilitate drug addicts, community-based rehabilitation programs will be conducted at centres set up in K. Kaashidhoo, N. Velidhoo and L. Atoll.

NDA said the Agency visited 11 islands in L atoll from January 24 to 28 to assess the drug situation in the atoll. As such, NDA travelled to L. Fonadhoo, Gan, Maavah, Isdhoo, Kalaidhoo, Hithadhoo, Mundoo, Kunahandhoo, Gaadhoo and Maabaidhoo visited the island councils and after the visit to the islands, the islands to run the program will be selected after consultation with the council of the atoll.

The NDA said the Agency's door will always be open to drug addicts who come to get rid of the addiction on their own than those seeking treatment from jail term.

The Ministry of Homeland Security held a press conference at Iskandar Koshi on 21 December 2022 and pointed out that 700 people were still waiting for court ordered rehabilitation.

Speaking at the meeting, NDA CEO Imad Solih said that there is a backlog of 700 people who have been sentenced to community treatment by the drug court since 2018.

"We are working as a joint effort with the technical and administrative team of the entire NDA to provide the required treatment to the clients as per the rehabilitation orders that have been made. We are in the process of contacting our clients in the next couple of days. For this purpose, we have hired a group of employees separately and the work is going on," Imad said in a statement.