The Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire has raised alarm that over14.3 million Nigerians are currently engaged in illicit drug abuse.
According to him, Nigeria is estimated at 14.4% or 14.3 million people aged between 15 and 64 years who used drugs like cannabis, amphetamines, opioids, and cocaine at least once in the reporting 12-month period.
He made it known at a 2days National Submit on Menace of Drugs and substances abuse among the youth,
stressing that school administrators and parents must be proactive to end it.
The Minister who was ably representated by the Medical Director, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital Professor Abdulkareem Jika Yusuf said it high time Nigerian youths do away with hard drugs.
“The burden of drug-attributable diseases account for about 1.5% of the global burden of disease, and around 9 per cent of the People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in Nigeria reported living with HIV.” He stressed
Professor Yusuf said “Parents, especially mothers and school authorities have fundamental roles to play, they must create time and seize opportunities to shape children under their watch, to be the kind of youths and adults they would want them to be. The harsh economic realities of our time cannot be an excuse for not accomplishing the divine responsibilities bestowed on us as parents or guidiance in the form of School administrators. “
Commending Katsina Government, Yusuf revealed that, ” a worthy effort is that of the Government of Katsina State, who recently enacted Edict –“Responsible Parenting / Almajiri Right Protection Edict. This is worthy of emulation and it is important for all the states of the Federation to adopt and adapt this Edicts.
“Clearly, all tiers of government are doing quite a lot to stem the menace of drug abuse in our society, but while the society bears the brunt of the consequences of drug use, the family comes off the worst considering the stigma and the negative economic impact inherent with drug use and addiction. He said.
