Health professionals are drug addicts - Dr Mahama

Accra, Aug. 2, GNA - Dr Edward Mahama, an astute Gynaecologist, on Wednesday accused some middle class Ghanaians and impaired health professionals - doctors, pharmacists, nurses - of drug and substance abuse in the country.

"The truth is that, we are all abusers of some sort of drugs and other sedative substance either voluntarily, out of ignorance or through peer pressure," he said, adding that the problem in the health sector was alarming as most of the elite society were facing the menace quietly.

Dr Mahama, Leader of the People's National Convention (PNC), was speaking at press conference organised by the Party to outline its position on the recent narcotic drug trafficking cases in the country. He noted that educational institutions in the country were infested with drug peddlers and abusers stressing; "I have personally treated many young ones from the tertiary institution and second cycle schools as well as school dropouts, who are hooked to drugs and other harmful substances".

The PNC Leader called for the establishment of National Drug and Substance Abuse Policy, which would focus on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of victims, as well as collaboration with parent and family strategies.

He said strategies should be adopted to combat the menace in schools and workplaces and at professional and community and national levels.

"Once such a policy is formulated it would become the basis for a comprehensive law that would define local government's role in the enforcement of narcotic laws, rehabilitation and integration of drug abusers into the main stream of society," he said.

He said the debate on whether or not certain categories of substance abuse should be legalized would be addressed and the few beneficiaries of the drug business - pushers, traffickers and security agents, who provide cover up would be dealt with ruthlessly. Dr Mahama also called for global collaboration especially within the context of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to collectively combat the menace.