Republié à partir de REPERES D'AFRIQUE. Tous droits réservés.
The National Anti-Drug Committee (CNAD), in collaboration with its partners, organised a forum on 13th August 2024 in Lomé to launch anti-drug coalitions and the national network of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation professionals in Togo.
The aim of this forum is to strengthen the capacity of grassroots communities to tackle the pressing issues posed by the use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and synthetic drugs.
This initiative builds on ongoing efforts by the CNAD to mobilise local communities against drug-related problems and to contribute to a significant reduction in the devastating socio-health consequences of these harmful substances on the population.
Since 2016, CNAD, in collaboration with the United States, initiated the first discussions with the American NGO CADCA for the implementation of a community-based prevention and control approach against psychoactive substance use.
This approach, which began in January 2017 with training community members and leaders in two pilot communities (Agbalépédogan and Kélégougan), was later extended to five additional communities: the cantons of Djidjolé, Agoè, Sanguéra, Baguida, and Bè.
Since 2021, several online training workshops have been organised for these seven coalitions (cantons), enabling them to carry out a number of activities that have contributed to reducing drug use within their respective communities.
In line with this dynamic, a new project was initiated at the beginning of this year to extend this community-based prevention approach to three new municipalities (Lacs 1, Ogou 1, Agoè-Nyivé 4).
The official launch on 13th August 2024 of the anti-drug coalitions at the national level will enable better coordination of actions, pooling of resources, and, above all, the adaptation of strategies to the specific realities of each community.
As for the National Network of Treatment and Rehabilitation Professionals (ISSUP-Togo), it fills a crucial gap in the system of combating psychoactive substances.
This network brings together prevention specialists, addiction treatment professionals, social workers, and other experts, all committed to providing quality services to individuals dealing with dependency.
These professionals, trained in evidence-based prevention and substance use disorder treatment programmes, come from various ministerial departments and civil society organisations.
Opening the forum, the Minister of Security and Civil Protection, Ambassador Calixte Batossie Madjoulba, emphasised the importance of this initiative, given the increasing challenges regarding community health, security, and development.
"Our law enforcement and prevention services work day and night to reduce this scourge. Significant quantities of drugs and illicit substances have been seized and incinerated during this year's International Day Against Drug Use and Trafficking, demonstrating the effectiveness of our security forces' interventions. This is why we welcome the initiative of establishing anti-drug coalitions at the grassroots community level, a mechanism that, in the long term, will allow each of Togo's 117 municipalities to have local prevention structures," he declared.
The Minister also acknowledged the immense challenges in the fight against drugs but reaffirmed their determination to provide a healthy, safe, and drug-free environment for the population.
He recalled that, in recent years, in addition to legislative and institutional measures taken by the government, Togo, through the National Anti-Drug Committee, has developed a vast project to mobilise local authorities against drug-related issues, notably through organising a series of tours to raise awareness among local elected officials about the dangers of drugs and the associated security threats.
"Another remarkable initiative by the National Anti-Drug Committee is the creation of a network of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation professionals, known as the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP Togo), aimed at promoting best practices in delivering quality services to young people and vulnerable individuals facing substance use challenges. Togo is the first Francophone country in the world to implement this initiative, and I encourage you all to join for experience sharing and continuous training to improve prevention and care practices for the benefit of vulnerable individuals and families in our country," he added.
On behalf of the President, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, and the entire government, the Minister expressed deep gratitude to CADCA and all other partners, especially ISSUP, for their ongoing technical and financial support for government initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges posed by psychoactive substance use in the country.
“We are convinced that this initiative to establish prevention structures at the level of our local authorities is a commendable action by the National Anti-Drug Committee. It should help engage local actors in this fight and encourage collective grassroots participation in eradicating this scourge,” said the Minister of Territorial Administration, Decentralisation, and Development of Local Authorities, Colonel Hodabalo Awaté.
He urged mayors and all local stakeholders to support the initiatives of the anti-drug coalitions established in their respective municipalities to help combat this phenomenon.
