ISLAMABAD - Thousands of drug addicts despite having will to give up addiction have been left to the mercy of circumstances because of the lack of drug addicts treatment and rehabilitation centres in public sector. Rafeeq Masi, an employee of private institute is in depression these days owing to his younger son, who became drug addict during last year, and now it is not possible for the poor father to get free of cost cure for his son. Besides performing his professional tasks, he has also to take care of his drug-addict son and a little daughter at home. While narrating his ordeal, the dejected father on Monday told TheNation that after harsh struggle, he managed to get admission for his son in Centre Hospital Rawalpindi with reference of someone, where he had to spent Rs 400 to Rs 500 daily on food and medicines. I cannot afford this in the limited income of Rs 6,000, he added. In addition to that, he said that the drug addicted and psychological patients were kept in same ward, which greatly disturbed him and then finally he discharged his son from the hospital. After this, Rafeeq approached Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre (MATRC) of Sheck Shahzad, where he could get free of cost and qualitative cure of his young son. Still the dejected father could not get relief, as the administration of the federal gave him a token and he has to wait for months for getting bed in the centre. On the other side his addicted son is constantly creating obstacles for him at home and he has sold most of the furniture of home in his absence. When contacted a Clinical Psychologist and Project Manager of MATRC Farman Ali told this scribed that actually we have limited beds and at one time could treat at least 45 patients and each patient required cares for 45 days. At present around 800 patients is in waiting list, he added. He said that it was most difficult to deal with the addicted patients as one patient requires treatment and rehabilitation for one year. Therefore, after regular treatment of 45 days, we called each patient at the centre in different times during a year for absolute curing, he added. Although, Drug Rehabilitation and Treatment Centres are ray of hope for patients, who are suffering from the devastating consequences of chemical dependency and addiction and wants to quit from drug habit. But, usually addicts do not know how to seek help. The adding misery for them is that they even cannot afford two meals a day and cannot be expected to run around for one test after another and treatment expenditures of private rehab centers. As it was find out by TheNation that the private rehab centers are charging Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 for per day cure while the existing facilities in the field of drug treatment of public sector are insufficient. There are only three treatment and rehabilitation centres throughout the country for the addict and they too are offering qualitative and free of cost treatment and rehabilitation services. Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) has established two centres at Islamabad and Quetta at the cost of Rs 44.304 million that are providing treatment amenities to more than 80 patients. However, a 45-bed Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre (MATRC) is being operational at Capital. Commenting on the drug treatment facilities in the state-run hospitals, a health expert on condition of anonymity told TheNation that although each public hospital has one special ward for addicted patients, however, the patients are often neglected because of limited resources. About treatment amenities of public hospitals in the twin cities, he said that the drug rehab centres must offer a variety of treatments that can meet individual needs and give proper help as well as treatment programmes must include inpatient, residential, outpatient, extended care, and short-stay options. But despite that in special ward of public hospitals the strength of staff is not more than 5, and the number of beds are also so limited, he added.