Sedqa inaugurates new detox premises

Education minister Dolores Cristina and Sina Bugeja, CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, uncovered a plaque to commemorate this launch. Fr Manwel Camilleri blessed the new centre.

These new premises, holding nine residents, will be hosting residents who will, after a week, be transferred to other entities such as Caritas and OASI. Cristina emphasized the importance of social agencies working together “in harmony and synergy”.

“Drug and alcohol abuse are not solely the user’s concern, but also their family’s and the community’s in general,” the minister said.

The newly developed Dar l-Impenn has increased its bedding from six to nine, and includes a staff room, a kitchen, a dining area, a clinic, a counseling room and also a garden.

CEO Sina Bugeja said the premises will offer shelter to both those who need intoxification “and also to those who need a timeout”. Sedqa has been offering its services for the past 16 years.  Its services include putting residents and staff in a more comfortable environment with facilities, such as bathrooms, catering for those who have any form of physical disability. The staff will also include psychologists, doctors, nurses and social workers who will be available 24 hours.

Jesmond Schembri, Operations Director of Sedqa, said there was an urgent need of such services to be transferred in a larger place and that for the services to operate at their fullest, all agencies must work like a chain holding together continuity.

Between January and December of 2009, there were 234 clients, 45 of which were women, who spent an average of six days at Dar l-Impenn. 50% of these residents were aged between 20 and 29 years. Dar l-Impenn is the only centre which offers such an intensive detoxification program in a short time. Residents would be referred from various organizations.