By Chioma Obinna & Daniel Oduvwu

Substance abuse is a fast  growing trend in Nigeria and estimates show that  over 40 percent of  youths engage in the practice.

It is known that major predisposing factors to drug abuse among students are peer pressure, curiosity, ignorance, academic induced frustration and lack of parental care.

SCREENING EXERCISE: Cross section of beneficiaries of a free Hepatitis Campaign for Drug Users organised by the Centre for the Right To Health, CRH, in Mushin, Lagos, recently.

The main concerns now are the consequences of uncontrolled drug use that has constituted a burden on the healthcare system.

Experts warn that abuse  of cannabis, amphetamines, heroin, cocaine. alcohol,  recreational or prescription drugs among others are serious issues that should not be ignored.

Concerned Nigerians at the ongoing Hepatitis Campaign for Drug Users in Mushin Area of Lagos say an emergency should be declared on drug abuse as a public health problem.

They say enough is not being done to stop the practice and rehabilitate those affected.

Major problem

In the views of the Executive Director, Centre for the Right To Health, CRH, Ms. Stella Iwuagwu, a major problem in addressing drug abuse in the country is the lack of understanding about why people become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse.

Iwuagwu who spoke at the free screening programme organised by CRH in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, and Philips Pharmaceuticals, explained that drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them.

According to her, people often underestimate the complexity of drug addiction, that it is a disease that impacts in the brain, and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower but through a gradual treatment process and unfortunately, many have no access to it.

“We have a major drug use problem. We are here today to provide psychosocial support, treatments for hepatitis in these drug users because people who use drugs are at higher risk of having hepatitis B and C and HIV because of the risk of blood.

“Government cannot wish it away because drug use is a public health problem that can be addressed. Drug abusers need treatment  but  cannot afford it because it is very expensive and Nigeria has few centres where these people are treated. We want to use this opportunity to call on the government to implement the harm reduction.  Instead of injectables, we give  pills.”

Corroborating her views, CRH Team Doctor, Dr. Eyoluwo Tega, said drug users are reservoir of infection, adding that viral hepatitis and HIV are among these infections.

He said the screening programme which is targeted on 300 to 500 drug users, is a funded programme of UNODC to deal with viral hepatitis in drug users which is currently ravaging communities across the country.

The Team Nurse, Mrs Tina Omoseye  described hepatitis as a silent killer noting that out of 150 drug users screened, 30  tested positive.