The addiction treatment center KETHEA published its general assessment for 2013 on Thursday, where it stressed its huge needs for additional staff and funding.
KETHEA operates about 100 addiction treatment units in 23 cities and 18 correctional facilities across Greece and offered it services to about 13,500 individuals facing addiction problems and their families.
The KETHEA representatives argued that it has seen its staff numbers drop by 78 in recent years and has not had any new staff recruitments since 2006. The representatives stress that without additional staff, they will be unable to carry on operating, much less meet national targets and goals.
Meanwhile, KETHEA introduced its new “Care Network” program to support homeless people with addiction problems in Athens and Thessaloniki. The program, which is sponsored by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation aims to help vulnerable and marginalized users overcome their problems.
Figures on drug addiction in Greece
KETHEA also presented some statistics regarding drug addiction in Greece:
- Nearly eight out of ten addicts are male, three out of then are foreign nationals, four out of ten are homeless and have no access to electricity or running water. About six out of ten are unemployed. A significant majority of addicts face serious health issues (60%), but have no insurance (40%) and limited to no access t healthcare.
- About one in ten attending the center are aware of being HIV positive, while three out of ten knew they had contracted Hepatitis C. KETHEA estimates however that these illnesses are much more widespread, as many have stated that they have not been tested in recent times or at all.
- Finally, about half of addicts seeking assistance regularly inject their drug of preference, which tends to be heroin, although most claim to use multiple narcotics. About four out of ten users admit to having shared a needle with others, at least once in their life.
