IFDFDA Calls For Urgent Implementation of Marwa Committee Report_Ada Nkong

A CSO,Initiative for a drug free Africa, IFDA has called for A COORDINATED COMMUNITY BASED TOTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA AND ALL AFRICA COUNTIRES.
The Chairman board of trustees Mr Kenneth Ibe Kalu made the call during a press briefing Monday in Abuja.
According to Ibe- Kalu, IFDA’s activities are “AIMED AT COMPLIMENTING GOVERNMENT EFFORTS IN STRENGTHENING THE HEALTH SECTOR TOWARDS REALISING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL”.

He called on Government to as a matter of urgency, implement General Buna Marwa’s comittee’s report.
“AS PART OF THE MOBILISATION EFFORTS OF OUR GROUP TO SENSITISE THE PUBLIC ON THE NEGATIVE LETHAL IMPACT OF DRUG ABUSE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC ERA, WE UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED ON THE NEED FOR PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI TO URGENTLY SET UP MACHINERY TO IMPLIMENT GEN. BUBA MARWA’S COMMITTEE REPORT” .
The report among other things ,identified “A LACUNA BETWEEN THE VARIOUS RELEVANT AGENCIES WHO DO NOT HAVE THE CONVENING AUTHORITY TO DRIVE THE CAMPAIGN TO WHERE OTHERS WILL RESPECT IT”.
PART OF THE REPORT IS THE UNFORTUNATE LACK OF SYNERGY WHICH WOULD HAVE LED TO PROPER AND EFFICENT COORDINATION, PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABOATION.
‘IFDFA MAKES BOLD TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO IMPLEMENT THE REPORT, HENCE WE ARE TAKING IT UPON OURSELVES TO MOBILISE NATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS FOR THIS PATRIOTOTIC CALL FOR ACTION AS WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THIS CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC COULD ESCALATE THE PRESECRPTION DRUG ABUSE AND OTHERS TO AN UNCONTROLLABLE PERCENTAGE WITH ITS ATTENDANT HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT CHALLENCGES”.
The Chairman urged all and sundry to lend their support to the drug abuse war nothing the Covid-19 pandemic has opened a new spate of drug abuse.

“THERE IS AN INCREASING ABUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS SUCH AS CHLOROQUINE, ORAL ARTEMISININ-BASED MONOTHERAPY (OAMTS), ETC.
IFDFA FEARS THAT THIS WILL INCREASE HEALTH COMPLICATIONS OF SEVERERAL CITIZENS IN A POST CORONAVIRUS ERA BY OVER 1000%”.
He said IFDFA’s SINGLE GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE 40% DRUG-FREE AFRICA REALITY WHICH CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC IS ABOUT TO ESCALATE.