The Edo State Government has urged stakeholders to collaborate with the government in strengthening advocacy to curb the menace of drug abuse, misuse and trafficking of illicit drugs.
Representative of the Chairman, Edo State Drug Control Committee and Commissioner for Health, and Director, Pharmaceutical Services with the Ministry of Health, Pharm (Mrs.) Tivere Osa-Afe said the campaign will ‘bring to the front burner the need to address the menace through the lens of public health and tackle it as a broader social problem rather than just a criminal matter.’
She said according to statistics by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) revealed that a total of 17,647 drug offenders and 10 barons have been arrested in the past 17 months with over 2,369 convicted and jailed while more than 11,000 drug users were counseled and treated within the same period.
She said collaboration among stakeholders will strengthen and boost the cooperation of stakeholders worldwide to sustain the goal of addressing drug abuse at the international level.
She noted that the committee has set up drug free clubs in over 45 secondary schools in Edo South, adding, “More plans to extend the same to Edo North and Central as well as campaigning through the mass media and social media.
“The committee will extend advocacies to public gatherings including schools, health walks, and religious centers.”
