HeFRA Registrar leads intensified rehabilitation drive in Krobo

The Krobo area is battling a deepening drug abuse crisis, with growing numbers of youth frequenting makeshift ghettos that have become centres for substance use and related criminal activities.

As the menace expands, the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HEFRA) Registrar, Dr Winfred Korletey Baah, is spearheading a rehabilitation-driven intervention aimed at rescuing affected youth and restoring community safety.

Across communities in Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo, drug ghettos have become increasingly common, attracting unemployed young men and women who engage in the abuse of marijuana, tramadol, and other illicit substances. Local authorities warn that the trend is not only escalating health risks but also fueling petty crime, violence and social instability.

According to Dr Baah, recent statistics from the District Health Management Team confirm a steady rise in drug dependency among young people—an alarming development that informed his decision to prioritize rehabilitation as the core strategy in tackling the crisis.

“I’ve observed the data, and drug abuse among the youth is clearly on the rise,” he said. “We cannot simply arrest or shame individuals battling addiction. Drug addiction is a medical problem, and rehabilitation must be at the centre of our response.”

Dr Baah revealed that his office, in partnership with several NGOs, has begun relocating addicted youth from ghettos into rehabilitation facilities. These organisations, he explained, are currently bearing the financial cost of treatment to ensure that the inability to pay does not prevent affected youth from receiving help.

“We have some facilities doing rehabilitation for those who have gone beyond mere counselling,” he said. “We are trying to rehabilitate some of them and get them a job so they can fit well into society.”

He added that many of the young people brought in for treatment would have otherwise remained trapped in a cycle of addiction and crime.

The goal, he stressed, is not only to cleanse the communities of drug misuse but to offer the youth a realistic chance at rebuilding their lives.

Beyond institutional rehabilitation, Dr Baah’s initiative includes extensive community outreach aimed at preventing new cases of addiction. Working with civil society groups, his team is visiting communities, ghettos and youth gathering points to educate young people about the psychological and physical dangers of substance abuse.

“I’ve engaged some NGOs, and we’ve started going to the communities to advise people about the adverse effects of drug abuse,” he noted. “Another NGO is picking up some of the addicts, training them and providing skills that can sustain them after rehabilitation.”

These sensitisation campaigns, he said, are crucial for dispelling myths that fuel drug use—particularly the belief that drugs enhance strength, confidence or intelligence.

“Drug abuse doesn’t end anybody well, it destroys your body. It will not make you strong or intelligent," he warned.

To prevent relapse, Dr Baah is ensuring that rehabilitation is tied closely to employability. He pointed out that unemployment remains a major driver of drug dependency, pushing many young people toward ghettos where drugs and criminal networks thrive.

In response, the government and local authorities are placing rehabilitated youth in vocational training programmes, including carpentry, masonry and security service recruitment initiatives.

“We’ve recruited a lot of the youth into employable skills programmes, once they gain skills and opportunities, the temptation to return to drugs reduces significantly.”

Dr Baah also clarified law enforcement’s role in the anti-drug campaign. Police, he noted, generally avoid arresting addicts unless criminal activity is involved. Instead, they often transport them to hospitals for assessment and referral to rehabilitation centres.

“Addiction is a medical problem, but some individuals also engage in crime, we handle both sides appropriately.”

With rehabilitation, skills training and community education now working hand in hand, Dr Baah believes the tide can be turned. He is hopeful that the Krobo area will soon see a reduction in addiction and the rebuilding of lives once overshadowed by drugs.