By: Frank P. Martin
MONROVIA: Several Medical Doctors, Registered Nurses as well as mental health practitioners have called on the administration of Liberia’s new President, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, to declare war on mental health disorder, and illicit drugs addiction in the country.
The group said the future of the current and next generation of Liberians has been threatened by mental health and illicit drugs addiction.
They stressed that it is important for the new administration to take full control of the illicit drugs situation is severely impacting young Liberians.
Dr. Lorraine Cooper, County Health Director at the Ministry of Health (MOH) and president of the recent graduates and mental health practitioners emphasized the need for urgency to be placed on the matter.
“Our nation has come a long way to see most of its youth scatters in the streets as a result drugs addiction and mental disorder. We must rise against this epidemic as nation and people,” Dr. Cooper told gathering.
Lorraine Cooper said the nation has an opportunity to fight the “epidemic” due to President Boakai’s campaign promise to Liberians to fight against the use of illicit drugs and other dangerous substances.
Developing a national curriculum to offer specialized courses in Liberian universities to teach prevention, and curative was proposed to the Ministry of Health’s Mental Health Unit.
She was speaking at the graduation of 33 mental health practitioners following a year of training in drugs addiction treatment. The training was organized by the Ministry of Health Mental Health Unit.
Earlier, at the end of the training on drugs substance use disorder for professionals, Angie Tarr Nyakoon, Director for Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders at the Ministry of Health, said the use of illicit drugs is not only unique to Liberia.
She added that it has become a global public health concern, which, according to her, needs concerted efforts in heightening fight against this global menace that is threatening the lives of many young people worldwide.
Madam Nyakoon said her Unit has been closely working with development partners, including the Bureau of International Narcotics and law Enforcement Affairs to train professionals from cross-section of institutions and organizations.
“As phase one concludes today, we trained drugs addiction professionals who will treat our mothers, and sister; our fathers and brothers who are victims of drugs. The entire process is capacity-building training, starting from prevention, treatment and recovery,” the Ministry of Health’s Mental Health Director explained.
Others who participated in the training in an interview said drugs abuse in Liberia is a major contributing factor to the destruction of many children, young men and women.
“Eventually, this is leading to an increase in criminal activities because these youths who are mostly unemployed, are engage in criminal activities to support their bad hobbies,” one of the training participants said.
“The trigger down effect is on the guilt-free population that suffers the most from varying unlawful acts being exhibited by substance abusers including the taking away personal belongings, scams, theft, etc., one observer told our reporter.
In 2022, according to the Liberian Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA), there were approximately 355 ghettos in Montserrado County alone.
Of the 355, 88 new ghettos were added in 2022. It is recorded that 60% of the ghettos are permanent and 40% are make-shifts.
