The United States Surgeon General visited a Bronx health care facility on Thursday as part of a nationwide campaign dedicated to addressing the nation's prescription drug and opioid crisis.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, along with the city's First Lady Chirlane McCray, toured Montefiore Medical Center's Wellness Center at Waters Place.

The Wellness Center provides thousands of people battling substance abuse with counselling, medication and medical care.

Dr. Murthy and McCray sat down with a panel of former patients who have dedicated their lives to helping others trying to overcome drug addiction.

The surgeon general says he plans to take the stories he learned at the Wellness Center and share them as he travels the country. He says one of the most important things is for the public to understand that addiction is a disease.