ECOWAS Parliament Steps Up Fight Against Drug Abuse, Mental Health Challenges In Guinea
Day four of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Sensitisation Mission on Substance Abuse and Mental Health saw its delegation continue high-level engagements in Guinea with a string of courtesy visits to key national institutions.
Led by Hon. Fanta Condé, head of Guinea’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, the team held talks with the Ministers of Health, Youth and Sports, and wrapped up the day at the Institut Itinérant de Formation et de Prévention Intégrées contre la Drogue et autres Conduites Addictives (IIFPIDCA).
At the Ministry of Health, the delegation shared insights from earlier visits to mental health centres, including the Donka Psychiatric Centre.
Conversations spotlighted pressing challenges—ranging from inadequate infrastructure and limited trained personnel to fragile psychosocial support systems.
The Minister called for a more coordinated national response and urged stakeholders to back evidence-based policies that reflect Guinea’s realities.
Engagements at the Ministry of Youth and Sports revealed growing concern over drug use among young people aged 14–25.
The Minister noted the worrying involvement of older individuals in trafficking networks, but also shared hope citing school programmes, youth clubs, and sports initiatives as key preventive tools.
Youth in Agriculture was singled out as a particularly promising intervention.
The day concluded with a visit to IIFPIDCA, where the ECOWAS delegation was briefed on the Institute’s three-pronged strategy: early intervention, public education, and reintegration.
Commending the approach, delegates praised IIFPIDCA as a model for community-led solutions to drug abuse and mental health.
Guinean officials welcomed the ECOWAS outreach as timely and relevant, expressing optimism about future regional collaboration.
The mission, they agreed, lays important groundwork for stronger public health policies and deeper legislative engagement across West Africa
