The Alcohol and Drug Abuse (ADA) prevention unit was established through the South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) Statutes. The core mandate of the unit includes development, implementation, evaluation and review of the University Alcohol and Drug Abuse Policy. The unit sensitizes SEKU Community on effects and prevention of alcohol drug and substance abuse, Dr.charles Orek implements a workplace Coordinator, ADSAP policy on use of alcohol and drug abuse, undertakes surveys to establish prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse and carry out an employer assistance programme focusing on early identification, treatment and rehabilitation.
ADA prevention unit ensures adherence to prohibition of selling, advertising and drinking of alcohol as well as use, possession and distribution of drugs and controlled substances within the university premises by both students and staff members. The ADA prevention unit implements this policy through a number of activities, viz. carrying out surveys to determine the status of ADA among students and staff, campaigns on effects of ADA, guiding, counseling and referrals, review of workplace ADA prevention and management policy, confidential procedures for reporting drug peddlers or addicts among others. These activities are implemented in collaboration with the National Authority for the Campaign against Drug Abuse (NACADA) who provides facilitators, speakers and trainers, and materials for such campaigns.
Through these activities, the ADA prevention unit has realized significant achievements in recent years. A number of staff and students with substance abuse disorders have successfully gone through guiding and counseling as well as treatment and rehabilitation; a large number of students have been trained and deployed as peer counselors; Alcoholic Anonymous SEKU (AA-SEKU) groups are actively assisting with recovery processes as part of employee assistance programs. Currently, the students are developing an App called "RADA SEKU App" which will assist students and staff members' access information and guidance on alcohol, drugs and substance abuse and guiding, counseling treatment and rehabilitation services. All these are geared towards creating and maintaining a drug free, healthy and productive SEKU workforce and students.
The unit is headed by Dr. Catherine Munene