A United States-based non-governmental organisation, House of Joy, has unveiled a pilot intervention programme aimed at addressing drug abuse and mental health challenges among youths and women in Kano State.
The Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Ms Ronke Kayode, disclosed this during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran-Yusuf, in Kano.
Kayode said the initiative was being implemented in partnership with Kola and Funke Foundation (KAF Care Foundation) and the New Ethics for Empowerment and Development Initiative (NEEDIN).
She explained that Kano was selected for the pilot phase based on recommendations from the organisation’s Nigerian partners.
According to her, the programme is designed to strengthen rehabilitation services, improve access to mental health support and provide sustainable reintegration opportunities for young people affected by substance abuse.
“The aim is not only rehabilitation but also reintegration. We want to provide counselling, medical care and skills acquisition programmes that will help young people rebuild their lives,” she said.
Kayode added that the project would adopt a structured rehabilitation model incorporating psychiatric care, counselling, nursing support and vocational training for beneficiaries.
She further revealed that a preliminary study would be conducted among selected participants to assess the effectiveness of the intervention.
“The programme will also focus on identifying the root causes of substance abuse, including depression, peer pressure and other psychosocial factors,” she added.
Responding, the Commissioner for Health described drug abuse as a major public health challenge in Kano and pledged the ministry’s support for the initiative.
Labaran-Yusuf said the ministry would establish a technical committee comprising officials from the departments of pharmaceutical services, public health, medical services, research and statistics to review the proposal.
“We will study your methodology, look at the ethical considerations and determine how Kano State can benefit from the project and possible interventions that will follow,” the commissioner said.
He added that the state government was already taking steps to revive the state committee on drug abuse control and welcomed partnerships aimed at strengthening ongoing efforts to address the problem.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of NEEDIN, Mr Peter Hassan-Tijani, said Kano was considered suitable for the pilot project due to the growing prevalence of drug abuse and the presence of active civil society organisations working to address the challenge.
He expressed optimism that the proposed collaboration would contribute to reducing substance abuse among youths in the state.
