World Drug Day: AHAPN took sensitization against drug abuse to schools

By Maryam Abeeb

The Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria, AHAPN, Abuja branch, took its sensitization campaign against drug abuse to the Community Staff Secondary School, Asokoro, Abuja, to familiarize the students with the dangers of drug abuse, as part of activities to mark this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Speaking at the event, chairman of the Association, Hafsat Avosuahi Ismaila, said that there are obvious signs that the message being passed across to the students, with regard to drug and substance abuse, is sinking in, and that there are hopes that the students will take the sensitization campaign to their homes and communities.
“The sensitization campaigns we have been organizing clearly show that the message we’ve been trying to pass across to them for the past three years is sinking, and they have assimilated it. They know that if they go the way of drugs, some may be lucky to come out, while the majority may not be that lucky,” stated Ismaila.
She further stated that the Drug Abuse Club project being organized by the Association for the school, was slowed down a bit by the stringent terms and conditions imposed by the NDLEA and the school management, and that the conditions have been met, and the project is already in progress.
“We had a little delay in kick-starting the project because we needed to carry so many partners and stakeholders along. Like the NDLEA, they had their own requirements before we could set up the club, which we were able to fulfill. Also, the Basic Education Board had some requirements which they wanted us to fulfill and which we have eventually met.
“Right now, we are at the point of implementation, and the chairman of the committee is adequately handling that. The club will be strictly supervised by the school management,” Ismaila disclosed.
The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is celebrated annually on the 26th of June, and it is a day set aside by pharmacists in Nigeria to sensitize the public on the dangers of drug abuse and other related ills.