She noted that drug addiction is a chronic disease that affects both the physical state and the psyche of a person. Therefore, it is important to consider prevention, treatment, and maintenance of remission as a unified whole.
Prevention at Three Levels: From Family to Rehabilitation
According to Bakirova, Kyrgyzstan's anti-drug program is based on three levels of prevention:
- primary — working with the population to prevent the onset of drug use;
- secondary — providing quality medical assistance to those who have already encountered addiction;
- tertiary — preventing relapses and assisting in social reintegration after treatment.
“Our goal is for a person not only to stop using drugs but also to be able to return to a normal life in society. However, unfortunately, there is no state rehabilitation center in Kyrgyzstan, only private institutions, whose work is not always subject to control,” she added.
The Contribution of Medical Professionals and Society to Prevention
Bakirova emphasized that primary prevention is not limited to lectures about drugs but includes the formation of healthy habits and lifestyles among adolescents and children.
The Ministry of Education, law enforcement agencies, local authorities, the media, and parents play an important role in this process.
“Doctors should not conduct lectures about drugs for children, as this may only pique their interest. The most effective approach is when preventive measures are carried out by educators, psychologists, and social workers who know how to communicate with children using emotional examples,” she clarified.
In her opinion, it is in the family and school that behavioral models are established, which influence children's attitudes toward harmful habits: “If a child sees that their parents smoke or consume alcohol, it becomes the norm for them. Habits are formed by the age of seven, and after that, it becomes difficult to change them.”
Threats Associated with Synthetic Drugs
Bakirova also drew attention to the growing problem of synthetic drugs, which are increasingly entering the country.
“Synthetic drugs destroy personality. It is not just an addiction — it is a complete disruption of cognitive functions. A person loses their understanding of individuality and the meaning of life, and recovery from this process proves to be extremely difficult,” she emphasized.
Joint Efforts Against Addiction
She noted that there is a fairly solid system of interaction between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the media in Kyrgyzstan, but to achieve a greater effect, it is necessary to unite the efforts of all parties: “No organization can tackle this problem alone. Only the joint work of families, schools, medical professionals, and society will allow us to effectively reduce the level of drug addiction.”
“Prevention should start not with posters and punishments, but with the family. If we can change parents' thinking, it will reflect in children's behavior. Only in this way can we prevent addiction before it appears,” Bakirova concluded.
