Janet Samuel
As part of its dedicated regional campaign against substance abuse and to bolster mental health services, the ECOWAS Parliament engaged in a series of impactful field visits at major health and rehabilitation centres in Conakry on Tuesday.
The mission’s third day featured in-depth stops at the Psychiatric Unit of Donka University Hospital, the SAJED‑G Youth Rehabilitation Centre, and Fraternité Médicale Guinée (FMG). At Donka,
Dr. Denis Bernard Raiche sounded the alarm over a sharp rise in cannabis-related psychiatric disorders among young people.
He stressed the urgent necessity of reinforcing regional and institutional ties to enhance mental health support systems across West Africa.
Honourable Fanta Condé, leading the mission’s delegation, reaffirmed ECOWAS’s continuous commitment to human rights and vowed to strengthen collective regional strategies to combat drug abuse, trafficking, and their cascading public health impacts.
A moving moment unfolded at SAJED‑G, as youth in recovery shared powerful personal testimonies about their battles with substance abuse and the role of rehabilitation in their lives. Their stories of resilience were deeply appreciated by both centre staff and officials.
Meanwhile, at FMG, participants spotlighted an urgent gap: the need for enhanced resources and specialized training for mental health professionals throughout the region.
Various speakers at the sensitization visit emphasized a troubling statistic: nearly 90% of crimes in the area are linked to substance abuse.
They highlighted that addressing this issue effectively requires a coordinated, multi-sectoral effort—including improved cross-border drug control and stronger law enforcement.
