By Zainab Kanu
Medical Impact-Sierra Leone (MI-SL) on Wednesday 26thJune 2024 at the Fergusson Memorial Secondary School on Kennedy Street in Freetown organized an engagement for young people about the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking or World Drugs Day, 2024 on the theme ‘Evidence in Clear: Invest in Prevention.’
Speaking at the event, Alieu Badara Sesay, Executive Manager, Medical Impact-Sierra Leone stated that their focus in on reducing/ending malaria, HIV and TB and that most of the time they travel to hard to reach areas using motorbikes, boats and even walking long distances to reach riverine areas to sensitize people about various health issues.
According to Mr. Alieu Sesay, this year’s theme clearly indicates how the issue of drugs in Sierra Leone has affected a lot of young people in the country and highlighted the need to create awareness and educate youths on the preventive methods of drug and substance abuse to help save lives.
Adikalia M. Kamara, Project Manager, Medical Impact-SL revealed that the organisation was founded in 1987 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations General Assembly to focus on drugs and substance abuse affecting youths, that they observe the World Day Against Drug Abuse yearly aimed at strengthening anti-drug awareness, reduce the effects of unlawful drugs and to create a space to drive away such danger and fair.
Mr. Abu-Bakarr Mohamed also of MI-SL emphasized on the mental effects of drugs on children, that most of the drugs they take affects their social life and encouraged youths to move away from drug and substance abuse that are harmful to their health and lives as they are the future leaders of tomorrow.
“All the drugs young people take affects their medical health that causes them to die early. Drug abuse also affects the financial status of youths to save money for other useful purposes which causes them to steal and engage in other malpractices as well as disrespect their parents and other elders,” he observed and asserted that because he is not a drug addict he was able to educate himself to university level even without his parents.
