Curbing Drug Abuse: Stakeholders’ collaboration vital —Ogun

Stakeholders in the health sector have been called upon to partner with government at all levels toward curbing drug abuse in the country.

The Medical Director, of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Mrs Oluyemi Ogun, made the call while speaking during the unveiling of the Lagos against Drug Abuse Campaign in Lagos on Thursday.

She said the hospital had on July 16, 2017 signed an MoU with the United States of America Department of State-funded Colombo Plan Drugs Advisory Program on the provision of evidence-based training courses for Nigerian healthcare professionals in the fight against drug and substance abuse.

She noted that since the hospital signed the MoU, 95 health care professionals and 31 staff of the Nigerian Prison had been trained by the hospital to build capacity in the field of addiction treatment.

“We agree that this is a good step in the right direction. But it is just a drop of water in an ocean of activities necessary for combating this menace that is destroying the future of our youth.

“This evidence-based approach of substance use prevention involves a multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach. Thus, there is a need for the hospital to collaborate with other sister agencies in this fight to save the future of this nation.”

The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, also said the campaign was unveiled to take the issue of drug abuse to the grassroots and reduce mental illness in the state.

Represented by Mrs Kemi Durosinmi-Eti, Ambode said, “This campaign is not stopping at getting emergency cases to the hospital. It is also about going out to the people to prevent it before getting to the hospital. The programme will reduce mental health illness in Lagos State and the country at large.”