International Youth Day: Ghana Launches GH¢500,000 Research Initiative to Tackle Opioid Abuse
As the world marked International Youth Day, Ghana’s Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment launched a nationwide research initiative to confront the rising menace of opioid abuse among young people.
In partnership with the RNAQ Foundation, the Ministry has committed GH¢500,000 towards the fight, with a large portion of the funds directed at financing comprehensive research across all 16 regions.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the Sector Minister, George Opare Addo, noted that while the opioid crisis was a growing concern, the root causes remained unclear. He explained that the national report would provide a detailed understanding of the situation and guide targeted interventions.
“It’ll go a long way because the research alone is costing us about 400,000, and so I believe strongly that the 500,000 is more than enough to pay for the research. What we intend to do is to expand the scope of the work we’ve given to the research group… so that we get a better understanding of the problem,” he said.
The CEO of RNAQ Foundation, Richard Nii Armah Quaye, described opioid abuse as a national canker and stressed his commitment to supporting the fight.
“I think this is a national threat to all of us. The youth of this country is our goldmine. The economic fortunes of our country depend on the youth as well. So it is very important that we take a significant and important look at this situation,” he stated.
The campaign, dubbed “Red Means Stop”, is expected to create broader awareness while the findings from the expanded research will serve as a blueprint for stronger interventions.
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