HFDI Partners Medical Women Association To Campaign Against Drug Abuse

The desire to explore and experiment alongside peer pressure have been described as part of the factors responsible for prevalent rate of drug and substance abuse among Nigerian youths.

The Executive Director, Hope for Family Development Initiative (HFDI), Mr. Aremu Stephen Akinyele, stated this at a lecture held at the General Meeting of Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Osun Chapter, themed “The Drug Abuse Scourge Among Youths: My role as a Medical Woman”.

At OSAMDO House venue of the program, the Executive Director Hope For Family Development Initiative represented by the Program Manager of the organization, Mrs. Adeola Falana said that in Nigeria, the use of alcohol and marijuana is high, particularly in rural communities because of easy access to the substance, added that lack of knowledge about the negative impacts on the users health put them at high risk.

He highlighted behavioral change pattern which predisposes the abuser to crime and contagious diseases including HIV/AIDS, exposure of abuser to physical effects like liver cirrhosis, pancreatic, peptic ulcer, hypertension, neurological disorder, tuberculosis, among others as well as increased economic crisis as a result of increased dependency rate (abuser are unproductive) are consequences of drug abuse. 

Speaking further, he said that the social problem of substance abuse among the youth (male and female inclusive) have in most cases resulted in low, moderate and high physical and psychological dependence leading to complete withdrawal from schools and emergence of criminals and illiterates in the society.

He however recommended community outreaches, street conferences, educating family units on drugs, establishing counseling at schools, religious centers and other strategic centers for drug control, campaign against drug abuse, ban of drugs selling points, establishment of drug rehabilitation centers as part of what can be done to bring down to the barest minimum, towards eliminating drug abuse in our society.

Other speakers at the program are Dr. Adeola Oduyebo, FMC Psych, Uniosun Teaching Hospital, Osogbo and Engr. Kunle Adesida, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Board of Directors, Cranium Integrated Solutions Limited, an Expert in Electronic Health Solutions.