Community News (V15-I30)

Dr. Akikur Mohammad on mission to stamp out prescription abuse

Dr. Akikur Mohammad, Founder of Malibu Horizon, recognized by many as one of the top addiction treatment centers in California, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California, announced today that he and his team are no longer going to standby as adolescents and adults across the country continue to ‘doctor shop’ and find questionable ways to fill multiple prescriptions for potentially addictive and deadly prescription medication. On the heels of a horrific string of prescription medication overdoses among adolescents in Southern California, Dr. Mohammad is launching an awareness campaign about prescription monitoring programs and the importance of physician compliance.

Dr. Mohammad said, “While prescription monitoring programs have been conducted on a state-by-state basis for some time now, there is no effective, unified, national program in place that actively updates information about patient prescription patterns and that is beyond tragic.” Mohammad added, “Not only would a unified, national prescription monitoring program save countless lives, it would act as a system of checks and balances to maintain accountability for both patients and physicians, which would be a game changer. While we understand that addicts will try to manipulate the system, physicians cannot be dissuaded; we must collectively build a system that protects the addicts, holds medical professionals accountable and builds a unified monitoring database.”

Dr. Mohammad and the Malibu Horizon’s team are launching an awareness campaign designed to inform the community at-large and the medical community about the importance of building and maintaining an effective, national program.

New August mosque to open by Eid ul Fitr

AUGUSTA,GA–Muslims in Augusta will get an Eid gift to remember with the scheduled opening of a brand new mosque. The Islamic Society of Au¬gusta’s new $3.8 million, 33,000-square-foot is designed to serve a variety of purposes for community. The mosque includes a central prayer space for 500 people, with overflow room for up to 1,000. The facility includes a basketball court that doubles as a multipurpose banquet hall, gyms for men and women, classrooms, offices and bathrooms with footbaths.

“We see it as a bridge between the Muslim community and the community at large,” said Dr. Ahmad Gill, the president of the Islamic Society of Augusta in an interview to the Augusta Chronicle. “We don’t want people to stand outside and say, ‘We don’t know what goes on behind those doors.’ Our doors and our hearts are open.”

“We want to say, ‘Come in. Use this facility. It’s for all of us,’ ” said Gill, a local physician and spokesman for the mosque.

The Islamic Society is interviewing for a new imam, or religious leader.

“We hope to find somebody soon,” Gill said. “We’re looking for someone who will be very much involved in the community and in interfaith activities. That’s important to us.”

Groundbreaking ceremony held for Islamic Center of Morisiana

NEW YORK,NY–A ground breaking ceremony was held last week for the Islamic Center of Morisiana. The old structure was destroyed nearly three years ago in a fire.

For the local African Muslim community, the cultural center was a gathering place, a place for religious ceremonies, education programs and after-school activities, among other programs.
Community members have rallied to raise $1 million toward the rebuilding by holding several fund-raisers. 

So important is the mosque to the community members that some even took second jobs to contribute towards its reconstruction.

Interfaith conference in Savannah

SAVANNAH,GA–Clarence “Teddy” Williams joined with Hakim Willis Jones and Imam Maajid Faheem ‘Ali of Masjid Jihad,  recently to sponsor an interfaith/interracial conference in Savannah. The conference titled: “Embracing Time-tested Traditions for the Preservation of Fatherhood,” was designed to bring our community together to discuss topics relevant to unity and cooperation; with the aim of developing “resolutions” to be implemented for community improvement.

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