Did you know that heroin is the third most used illicit drug in Tanzania? Meet Elizabeth, who bravely talks of her heroin addiction and the methadone program that helped her get clean. Join our host, Chinonso Egemba, in Dodoma as he delves into Elizabeth's emotional journey. Don't miss this powerful story of resilience and hope.
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00:00 Hey, you. Yes, you.
00:02 Can I ask you something really personal?
00:04 Have you ever tried drugs before?
00:06 Well, I'm sure you're going to want to hear
00:08 this conversation I have with someone in Tanzania
00:11 who has struggled with a drug addiction,
00:13 but has triumphed over it.
00:14 They smoke and tell me, "Don't be afraid.
00:21 Don't be afraid. Use this.
00:23 You'll be happy when you use this.
00:25 It's normal. You just use it."
00:27 (upbeat music)
00:30 So welcome to this Dalla Dalla,
00:39 which is going to be our safe space
00:40 for today's conversation.
00:42 And as always, I'm your host, Chinonso Egemba,
00:45 medical doctor.
00:46 You might know me as Aproco Doctor.
00:48 And with me today is Elizabeth,
00:51 who has won her personal battle against drugs.
00:55 First, I want to say I'm proud of what you've done
00:58 for yourself.
00:59 And I want you to also take us through your journey.
01:02 How did you first get into drugs?
01:04 - It was when I was in standard six.
01:07 - Standard six?
01:09 - I mean, yeah, standard six.
01:10 - How old were you when you started taking drugs
01:12 in standard six? - 13.
01:14 - 13 years?
01:15 - When the school was closed, we came home.
01:19 Home.
01:21 Again, I made a mistake.
01:22 Dad also clashed me and told me that I will kill you.
01:25 This and this and this and this.
01:26 If you turn on, I will punish you.
01:29 So I decided to go to my boyfriend.
01:32 So when I went over there,
01:36 he took a marijuana, then he scratched it,
01:38 and the cigarette mixed it.
01:41 So he smoked and tell me that,
01:42 "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, use this.
01:46 You'll be happy when you use this.
01:47 It's normal.
01:49 You just use it."
01:50 - There are a number of reasons why people may abuse drugs.
01:54 Early exposure to drugs.
01:56 Usually the younger a person is,
01:58 when they start using drugs,
01:59 the likelier they are to develop an addiction.
02:02 Peer pressure.
02:03 I'm sure this is self-explanatory.
02:05 Environmental factors.
02:06 So usually the environment where a person grows up
02:08 can affect their tendency to abuse drugs.
02:11 It is believed that if a person grows up
02:13 in an environment where drug abuse is common,
02:15 they might just become drug abusers themselves.
02:17 But it's not just that.
02:18 If a person grows up in an environment
02:20 where there's a lot of trauma,
02:21 there's a lot of stress, violence, and abuse,
02:24 it might just increase their tendency to abuse drugs.
02:26 How about your family, your friends?
02:29 Did it affect your relationship with them?
02:31 - Very badly.
02:33 - Very badly.
02:34 - Until now, a lot of them are not on our side of me.
02:39 - Now, what made you decide that you needed help?
02:43 - No, 'cause it happened when I was sick.
02:49 I went to Temeka Hospital, I was admitted over there.
02:52 And then my mom got a news from her friend
02:55 that there is a medical methadone to Muhimbili.
03:00 So when I was admitted over there,
03:04 they checked me, my health,
03:06 and then they found me that I was HIV-positive.
03:09 - So for some bit of backstory,
03:11 the methadone program that Elizabeth went through
03:14 was first piloted in the Muhimbili National Hospital
03:17 in Tanzania.
03:18 According to some research,
03:19 it is the most effective program for most heroin users,
03:24 because especially in East Africa,
03:26 a lot of the opioid use in East Africa
03:29 is actually consumed here in Tanzania.
03:32 And that program was actually very important
03:35 in the fight against drug abuse.
03:37 The abuse of drugs like heroin
03:39 can actually lead to major health
03:40 and even lifestyle problems.
03:42 For example, they run the risk of getting diseases
03:45 that are bloodborne, like HIV, hepatitis B, C, or D,
03:49 because of the mode of transmission.
03:51 Others may have reduced immunity.
03:53 Some people may just have reduced nutrition
03:55 and may develop fertility problems later.
03:58 - Methadone is a treatment,
04:00 but for me, on my journey of methadone treatment,
04:04 it was hard.
04:05 'Cause I was taking my medical,
04:08 but still I was on relapsing.
04:10 When I moved there to go home,
04:13 I told my mom that, "No, I'm suffering for this situation.
04:16 "Every day, Nepal is going over there,
04:18 "situation of this and this and that.
04:20 "No, I need to stop on my own."
04:24 My mom could not believe me.
04:26 My family could not believe me.
04:28 - So you finally got to that place
04:30 where you now wanted to stop the drug yourself.
04:33 - Yes.
04:34 I didn't want to use methadone,
04:35 but I could not survive on my own.
04:39 I was using alcohol, and I was taking hard alcohols
04:42 almost for one year.
04:45 But at the end also, I feel that I have moved from methadone,
04:50 again from alcohol, water, my drink.
04:53 Let me just stop this kind of issue.
04:55 I stopped also using alcohol and cigarette.
04:58 Until today, thanks God, I'm fine.
05:02 I'm not using anything.
05:03 - How long has it been since you stopped every form of drugs?
05:07 - For this year, I can count it fourth year.
05:09 - Four years?
05:10 - Yeah, for this year.
05:14 - Thank you.
05:15 Thank you.
05:16 - If you're struggling with drug use,
05:17 I want you to know that it is never too late to get help.
05:20 You can win the battle against drugs,
05:22 just like Elizabeth has.
05:24 And don't also forget to share and put your comments below.
05:27 We just might learn a thing or two from you.
05:29 (upbeat music)