By
Sakina Ahmed,
The Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), has donated medical and rehabilitation equipment worth over two hundred million naira to the Adamawa State Specialist Hospital and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, treatment centre in Yola as part of efforts to tackle drug abuse and strengthen rehabilitation services.
Head of ECOWAS Drug Prevention and Control Division, Dr. Daniel Amankwa, stated this during the presentation of the items in Yola, Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria.
Dr. Amankwa said the intervention was aimed at supporting member states in the treatment and rehabilitation of persons living with drug use disorders.
He explained that Adamawa is the fourth state in Nigeria to benefit from the programme after Abuja and Kaduna, while more states would be covered subsequently.
According to him, drug abuse remains a growing and evolving challenge across West Africa and the world, requiring urgent preventive measures, treatment and rehabilitation.
Dr. Amankwa noted that Nigeria records a high prevalence of drug abuse, making it necessary for ECOWAS to support both state and federal governments in addressing the menace.
Receiving the equipment on behalf of the state government, Permanent Secretary, Adamawa State Ministry of Health and Human Services, Pharmacist Zira Mathias Bubanani, described the donation as timely and impactful.
He said the items would significantly improve operations at treatment centres, especially the NDLEA rehabilitation facility and the Specialist Hospital.
Pharmacist Bubanani explained that the equipment would make rehabilitation centres more conducive for clients undergoing treatment and recovery.
He added that the state government had already put in place an Advanced Drug Abuse Control Committee, working through the Ministry of Health, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, pharmacy operators and patent medicine vendors to regulate the sale of controlled medicines.
Also speaking, Adamawa State Commander of the NDLEA, Aliyu Abubakar, commended ECOWAS for what he described as a critical intervention.
He said the NDLEA treatment centre in Adamawa currently receives drug-dependent persons not only from the state but also from neighbouring Taraba, Gombe, Borno and Yobe states, thereby overstretching available facilities.
The commander noted that the newly donated items, including hospital beds, air conditioners, fans and other support materials, would provide comfort and hope to clients undergoing counselling and rehabilitation.
Aliyu Abubakar maintained that sustained enlightenment campaigns by NDLEA and stakeholders were helping many young people abandon drug use and adopt productive means of livelihood.
Available data indicate that drug abuse remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria, with about 14.3 million persons between ages 15 and 64 reportedly involved in drug use.
Reports also show that about forty percent of persons between 18 and 35 years are deeply involved in substance abuse, while one in five drug users suffers drug-related disorders annually.
Stakeholders at the event stressed the need for early intervention, community awareness and stronger collaboration to prevent more young people from falling into addiction.
