KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 19 — A group of researchers from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) has developed a smartphone application for interactive therapy programmes to help drug addicts called Virtual Inabah (V-Inabah).

The project head Prof Dr Lua Pei Lin said V-Inabah is one of the first mobile applications in Malaysia to use psychiatric, spiritual and religious therapy methods to help the group quit drug addiction.

"The official project started in September last year and is now in the final phase of collecting feedback from respondents. The app also provides notes, videos and exercises suitable for emotional, psychological and religious therapy for drug addicts.

"Treatment progress will also be monitored continuously through this application and based on the initial feedback of 73 participants, they are very satisfied with the therapy module provided in this V-Inabah application,” she said when contacted by Bernama today.

V-Inabah is a project sponsored by UniSZA’s Translational University Grant (TUG) worth RM25,000. It was also developed jointly with the university’s Islamic studies expert Assoc Prof Dr Abdul Manam Mohamad and informatics technology expert Prof Dr Mokhairi Makhtar as well as Pondok Remaja Inabah located in Kampung Sungai Ikan near Kuala Nerus.

Pondok Remaja Inabah is a privately-owned drug rehabilitation and treatment centre that has been operating since 1989 and has gained recognition, following its outstanding success in helping its residents to be free from drugs.

She said the app can be accessed anywhere and at any time and is suitable for those who are unable to undergo treatment physically, adding that the addict’s confidentiality is also better protected.

She added that the less unfortunate, women, professionals who are addicted to drugs and those who face transportation problems or are living far from Pondok Remaja Inabah could try the community-friendly therapy methods.

"With research collaborations involving such communities, UniSZA is increasingly playing a strong role in providing invaluable benefits to drug addicts as well as their family members and peers.

"Such efforts between higher education institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the people need to be stepped up to boost the quality of life and the future of the people in Malaysia,” she said.

The V-Inabah mobile application also won the Semi-Grand Award in the Research and Innovation Week 2021 in March. — Bernama