Achieving health security in Nigeria: A strategic blueprint for addressing psychoactive substance use

Abstract

Introduction: Psychoactive substance use is an important component of health and national security. Nigeria has evolved from a largely transit nation for psychoactive substances to a high consumption nation. Increasing rates of use result in a concurrent rise in crime rates and insecurity, as well as road traffic accidents. The use of psychoactive substances is also implicated in episodes of civil strife, conflicts and wars, such as the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency in North East Nigeria. This observation is likely to worsen over time if there is no coherent and strategic plan to halt and reverse this trend. The forecast portends higher crime rates, heightened insecurity, civil unrest and violent conflicts by 2050, if the rising trend of psychoactive substance use is not reversed. It is a scenario that will not augur well for the stability of Nigeria and the West African region.

Methods: A narrative review of the published literature, as well as expert opinion deliberations was utilized to develop a comprehensive analysis of the strategic strengths, weakenesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of psychoactive substance use and health security implications for Nigeria.

Results: An array of the unique strengths and opportunities are spelt out; along with the inherent weaknesses and threats that should be taken into consideration in mapping out strategies to address the clear and present danger from the rising use of psychoactive substances in Nigeria.

Conclusion: Recommended interventions should focus on public awareness campaigns, utilizing behaviour change communication strategies – with a special focus on prevention, mental health promotion activities, training and re-training of regulatory agencies, development and revision of existing policies, as well as better policing and enforcement of access restriction.

Keywords: Health security, psychoactive substance, Nigeria

Abstrait
Introduction : La consommation de substances psychoactives est un élément important de la santé et de la sécurité nationale. Le Nigéria est passé d’un pays largement en transit pour les substances psychoactives à un pays à forte consommation. L’accroissement des taux d’utilisation entraîne simultanément une augmentation du taux de criminalité et d’insécurité, ainsi que des accidents routiers.L’utilisation de substances psychoactives est également impliquée dans des épisodes de troubles civils, de conflits et de guerres, telles que l’insurrection encours deBokoHaram dans le nord-est du Nigéria.Cette observation risque de s’aggraver avec le temps s’il n’existe pas de plan cohérent et stratégique pour enrayer et inverser cette tendance.Les prévisions laissent présager des taux de criminalité plus élevés, uneinsécuritéaccrue,des troubles civils et des conflits violents d’ici 2050, si la tendance à la hausse de la consommation de substances psychoactives
n’est pas inversée.C’est un scénario qui n’augure pas bien pour la stabilité du Nigeria et de la région Ouest Africaine.

Méthodes : Un examen narratif de la littérature publiée ainsi que des délibérations d’experts ont été utilisés pour élaborer une analyse complète des forces, faiblesses, opportunités et menaces (SWOT) de l’utilisation de substances psychoactives et les implications sur la sécurité sanitaire du Nigéria.

Résultats : Une représentation des forces et des opportunités uniques est décrite ; ainsi que les faiblesses et les menaces inhérentes qui devraient être prises en compte dans la définition de stratégies visant à faire face aux dangers évidents et actuels de la consommation croissante de substances psychoactives au Nigéria.

Conclusion : Lesinterventions recommandées devraient se concentrer sur les campagnes de sensibilisation du public, utilisantdes stratégies de communication pour le changement de comportement- avec un accent particulier sur la prévention, lesactivités de promotion de la santémentale, la formation et le recyclage des agences de réglementation, le développement et la révision des politiques existantes, ainsi que l’amélioration de la police et application de la restriction d’accès.

Mots-clés : sécurité sanitaire, substance psychoactive, Nigeria

Correspondence: Dr. J.O. Abdulmalik, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail: jfutprints@yhoo.com

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