A center for drug addicts will be closed in Prague 5. Big mistake, experts warn
Non-profit organizations warn that closing the center will make the drug problem worse.
“The story of Prague’s anti-drug policy could be summarized as follows: we need more contact centers – we will have one less,” said the director of the terminated center, Vojtěch Janouškovec.
Martina Zikmundová from the Association of Czech Streetworkers, which helps drug users, pointed out that the main responsibility lies with the Prague municipality.
“We must ensure the availability of social services and, in cooperation with the city districts, negotiate in such a way that this availability is spread evenly across Prague,” she told Právu. The dismissal of the contact center in Prague 5 is perceived as a populist move by the town hall before the municipal elections in September.
Last year, we selected a suitable location in Prague 8 and Prague 2, but both town halls voted that they would definitely not have a contact center. The problem is low solidarity on the part of the mayors.
Milena Johnová, Councilor HMP
“And this despite the fact that the Prague 5 town hall is ruled by the ODS, which declares a rational and data-based drug policy. But at the local level, it behaves in the opposite way,” Zikmundová added.
Risk of infections and crime
The street worker pointed out that there will probably only be two contact centers in Prague.
“Public health will be threatened, infectious diseases will develop and the social balance will be disrupted. Those people will be on the streets more, it also means the risk of greater crime and clashes between residents,” warns Zikmundová.
The mayor of Prague 5, Renáta Zajíčková (ODS), however, denied that it was a pre-election move. According to her, the situation is unbearable because there are two such contact centers in Prague 5 and one doctor’s office that provides substitution treatment for addicts.
“I have been dealing with this topic for the sixth year, of which two or three years we have been dealing with this particular situation. It is not possible for Prague 5 to be burdened by drug users and people from all over Prague and the surrounding area commute here,” said Zajíčková.
“It is certain that Progressive is doing a worthy job, and I am calling for more such a center in Prague. But they are supposed to be spread over Prague. It’s up to the municipality,” she pointed out.
Who cleans up the syringes?
However, Prague Councilor for the Social Area Milena Johnová (Praha sebo) claims that the reluctance of the city districts to come to an agreement is tying her hands.
The complete opposite of what Prague needs has happened. Prague 5 is gambling because low-threshold services are there to protect the health of not only drug addicts, but also the majority of society.
Ondřej Sklenář, Magdalena association
“Mayors have trouble perceiving Prague as a whole and understanding that nothing will ever succeed without their agreement. Last year, we selected a suitable location in Prague 8 and Prague 2, but both town halls voted that they would definitely not have a contact center. The problem is low solidarity on the part of the mayors,” Johnová told Právu.
According to her, there used to be more contact centers in the metropolis, but they were gradually closed down. According to our opinion, the cancellation of Smíchovský is also due to the fact that there is a doctor’s office nearby that provides substitution treatment. “At least the Progressive Association collects used syringes there. I don’t know who will do it later,” the councilwoman sighed.
Ondřej Sklenář, director of the Magdalena association, which deals with drug addicts, also thinks that the cancellation of the addiction center in Prague may bring problems.
“The complete opposite of what Prague needs has happened. Prague 5 is gambling because the low-threshold services are there to protect the health not only of drug addicts, but also of the majority of society,” Právu Sklenář said.
According to him, the number of problems of dependent users has been stable in recent years. “However, the number of users of these centers is increasing. There are more people who come to ask for help,” Sklenář added.