By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)
To mark world mental health day,the Management of Mental Watch Advocacy Network Sierra Leone ( MWAN-SL) in collaboration with the Milton Margai Technical University ( MMTU) has recently concluded a community outreach on Pschoeducation, Harm reduction on substance abuse of Kush and it’s effects on Mental Health among the youths.
The historic event was held at the Goderich Funkia Community Center on Monday 9th October, 2023 in a bid to complement government’s efforts to commomerate the International Mental Health Day with the theme:”MENTAL HEALTH IS A UNIVERSAL RIGHTS”.
In his statement, the Head of Faculty of Social Sciences, MMTU, Mr. Ishmael Kebbay told participants to embrace the day with meaningful awareness raising and sensitization as Sierra Leone joined the rest of the World to commemorate the International Mental Health Day which is usually commemorated on October 10th every year.
On behalf of the Headman of Goderich Funkia community,Mr. Malikie Abu Kamara did the welcoming address and assured everybody of a successful meeting while commending the Executive Director and Founder of MWAN-SL for choosing Funkia Community in the fight to eliminate kush with the slogan which says , “Say No To Kush”.
Delivering the declaration of purpose, Barrister Sahr Septimus Sandy was quick to describe Mental Health as disorder which everyone is prone to have mental health condition, noting that it will definitely interest you to know that the 10th of October is the actual date which has been set aside to raise awareness on mental health issues and that mental health usually affect everybody , especially with regards the environmental factors , social and economic factors.
“In this part of the world , we are usually familiar with drugs like Marijuana, Tramadol and now kush which is currently destroying the good image of our youth severely,” Esq. Sandy noted that one factor about drugs is that of the addictive system which some times cause both depression and biological effect. And that the biological effect usually deprived young people from achieving the dream goal to give birth to their young due to low count spam.
Barrister Sandy said , the issue of mental health can’t just be address alone but with collective efforts as a nation.
He however stated that, before now the government through the various line Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs ) had taken the fight to certain human rights organizations, colleges and schools in a bid to collectively advise drug addicts on the negative impact of smoking kush and other dangerous substances.
Mr. Sandy describes kush as a harmful substance that is not only destroying innocent citizens who are in the habit of abusing kush but it will also destroyed a whole nation if not properly managed.
Speaking during the session, the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) ,the Drug Prevention Officer , Mohamed Lamin Yansanneh said prior to this engagement, they have been robustly engaging various youth groups on the danger of smoking kush and other harmful substances. Mr. Yansanneh recalled that recently they had interrogated and cease huge quantity of tramadol which are actually above the normal milligrams.
“We have experienced several times when people abuse tramadol above the actual dosage which is 50mg or 100 mg base on prescriptions by a certified medical pharmacist.
He said the NDLEA management had earlier organized friendly visits to many colleges ,schools , communities and other public institutions to raise awareness about the mence and odds of smoking kush. He applauded the Management of MWAN-SL for the timely intervention to heighten the campaign against kush in Sierra Leone with togetherness and effectiveness.
Giving the Overview of the event, the Acting Head of Social Work Department who also doubles as the Executive Director and Founder of MWAN-SL, Ibrahim H. Koroma aka Progress said his task was simple because his brother who happens to be a renowned lawyer by the name of Sahr Septimus Sandy had said it all for the commemoration but he will be shifting his discussion on the community outreach on the importance of organizing a psychoeducation, Harm Reduction on substance abuse (kush) & it’s general effects on Mental Health for Funkia Community youth and beyond. Mr. Koroma highlights some of the challenges and destruction the kush crisis had cause to various communities across the country but he is targeting youths from the Goderich Funkia Community where MMTU is operating. “Our minds, Our Rights” and say no to kush na wi community.”
Adding that his organization through the support from colleagues lecturers ,students and other people in collaborating with the administration of MMTU , with the blessings of the Principal who happens to be the Vice Chancellor of MMTU. He said before now , himself and colleague lecturers , students through the support of the Deen of faculty of sciences and the idea by then was as a result of the University Community Based Services (UCBS) which is known in the corporate field as Corporate Social Services ( CSS), but in the education world is referred to as Community Social Services.
Mr. Koroma went further to state that, MMTU, the Principal, who is the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Philip John Kanu including colleague lecturers, students and other people, he had deem it’s fit to embark on community services as a professional social worker.
He lamented that as a social worker who always willing and ready to assist the vulnerable or deprived people, they decided to engage young people at the Goderich Funkia Community on the danger of smoking kush.
“On June 26th this year , we have actually organized a big program during the International Day Against Drugs abuse and illicit trafficking. As a social worker, you should always ready to give helping hands to the voiceless.
Mr. Koroma said before now , his organization had also organized a big kush documentary which raised the alarm on the international radar and urged several governments across the sub-region to emulate such wonderful impact to eradicate kush across the country.
However, because of these advocacy movements, our government had put mechanism in place to domesticate mental health issues with the necessary supports.
Notwithstanding, Director Koroma had also highlighted some of the types of kush young people do smoke on daily basis ranging from TM , Nod Bukaya and Jagaban whilst he also discribed kush as a synthetic drug which means it was produced artificially with harmful substances like chemical sprays , morfin, formalin which are usually used to embamb dead bodies so that they can stay longer than expected.
He noted that, in 2022 during the review process of the Mental Health policy and strategic planning, it’s was indicated in the report that only 1.2% have access to direct treatment and 98 .8 % are not on treatment. So therefore , the government had done a lot to arrest or apprehen importers and caution security personnel to always rehabilitate addicted victims instead of putting them behind bars leaving the importers to enrich themselves at the detriment of the majority.
Everybody is prone to mental health disorder and mental health is a Universal Rights.
He said mental in generic terms mean how you are thinking, feeling and doing things.
He stated that, in dealing with mental health, we have three stages which are as follow: mind, severe and chronic stage which stimulate the drug addict beyond normalcy. He also spoke legthilly about co-mobility where we do have issues of mental health and substance abuse.
He however admonished drug addicts to refrain from unethical smoking of kush and tried to live decently. So he therefore narrated the engagement with views and opinions of raising community awareness on psychoeducation , Harm Reduction on substance abuse (kush) & it’s effects on Mental Health among young people.
Meanwhile, Rev. Dr. Thomas Aloma Gogra who happens to be the Acting Deen , Faculty of Social Sciences , MMTU. In his submissions, he recognized all participants for honoring the occasion but urged youth to be meaningful of their health. Dr. Thomas said kush is a crisis that needs collective fight to totally eliminate or reduce importation of harmful substances.
Other speakers including the Executive Director of Women & Girls in Action for Peace & Sustainable Development, Madam Sonia M. Richards and the Executive Director of Social Linkages for Youth Development and Child Link , Habib T. Kamara and others do made meaningful contributions.
The event was climaxed with some kush dramas and testimonies and appalling messages from kush victims who are presently suffering from negative impact of Kush abuse.