From Punishment To Care: UNODC-WHO Training Pushes New Approach To Drug Use In Nigeria
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
In a significant shift towards treating drug use as a public health concern rather than a criminal offence, a three-day sensitisation training on Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care (DPTC) has commenced in Abuja.
The programme organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Health Organisation, aims to strengthen stakeholders’ capacity to tackle drug use through evidence-based strategies rooted in human rights, community engagement, and stigma reduction.
Opening the session, the Country Representative of UNODC Nigeria, Cheikh Toure, underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting Nigeria with balanced, health-focused responses and called for multi-sectoral partnerships to ensure sustainable and inclusive interventions.
Also speaking was Funke Odunlade, Technical Officer for HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs at WHO Nigeria, who described drug prevention as both a health priority and a strategic investment in the nation’s future.
She emphasised the importance of grassroots engagement and ongoing, continuous capacity-building to achieve lasting impact.
Participants at the training are being equipped with practical tools and frameworks to integrate drug prevention and treatment into broader health and social systems.
The initiative promotes culturally sensitive approaches aligned with global best practices, while reinforcing the need to treat affected individuals with dignity and care.
The training marks another step in efforts to reposition Nigeria’s response to drug use, placing health, compassion, and evidence at the centre of intervention strategies.
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