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FG Seeks Concerted Efforts In Fight Against Drug Abuse In Nigeria—-The Federal Government has called on relevant stakeholders to make concerted efforts towards ending drug abuse among youth in the country so as to prepare them for employability, entrepreneurship as well as future leaders.

Mr Ayodele Olawande, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Youth Development, made the call during a working visit to the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Abuja.

Olawande said that the ministry was planning to establish an institution that would be known as the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA).

He said in the institutions, youths would be taken through some training to engage them in meaningful ventures in order to avoid the temptation of drug abuse and crime.

The minister said that lack of engagement, unemployment and skill gap have led to an increase in the consumption and abuse of drugs among the youth.

“The youths are more concerned with following trends. It is now time for the youth to stop following unproductive trends and start thinking and working,” he said.

Olawande said that the ministry planned to introduce a door to door campaign, which would be spearheaded by him to engage the youths in all the 774 Local Government Areas of the federation.

“We will use the corp members as a force to engage the society at large, especially secondary school students, to curb drug abuse, corruption, and cybercrime,” he said.

According to him, it is time that society stopped neglecting the youth in the informal sector, as they are flexible and open to activities that can cause disruption and commotion in the society.

The minister called on the UN to collaborate with the government to establish the Nigerian Youth Academy in ensuring that the youths were gainfully engaged.

Earlier, Mr Oliver Stolp, Country Representative of UNODC expressed his appreciation to the minister and his team for taking out time to pay him a visit.

Stolp said that the UN had numerous intervention programmes on youth engagement, drug abuse, cyber crime, and corruption.

He called for the support of the government in these interventions.

NAN reports that the UNODC World Drug Report 2023 warns of converging crises as illicit drug markets continue to expand.

The data put the global estimate of people who inject drugs in 2021 at 13.2 million, 18 per cent higher than previously estimated.

Globally, over 296 million people used drugs in 2021, an increase of 23 per cent over the previous decade.

The number of people who suffer from drug use disorders, meanwhile, has skyrocketed to 39.5 million, a 45 per cent increase over 10 years.

The Report features a special chapter on drug trafficking and crimes that affect the environment in the Amazon Basin, as well as sections on clinical trials involving psychedelics and medical use of cannabis; drug use in humanitarian settings; innovations in drug treatment and other services; and drugs and conflict.

The World Drug Report 2023 also highlights how social and economic inequalities drive – and are driven by – drug challenges; the environmental devastation and human rights abuses caused by illicit drug economies; and the rising dominance of synthetic drugs.

The demand for treating drug-related disorders remains largely unmet, according to the report. Only one in five people suffering from drug-related disorders were in treatment for drug use in 2021, with widening disparities in access to treatment across regions.

The UN says youth populations are the most vulnerable to using drugs and are also more severely affected by substance use disorder in several regions.

In Africa,  it said, 70 per cent of people in treatment are under the age of 35.

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Health & Wellbeing

Ikoyi-Obalende Council Commence Construction Of 30-Bed PHC (PICTURES)

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30-Bed PHC

Ikoyi-Obalende Council Commence Construction Of 30-Bed PHC—-The Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA has expressed  commitment to building and equipping a 30-bed  primary healthcare facility for residents of the area.

Mr Fuad Atanda-Lawal, the Chairman of the council said the council had been committing  resources to touching lives and ensuring that no one in the community would be left behind.

Atanda-Lawal made this known at the groundbreaking ceremony for the facility to be known as Senator Oluremi Tinubu Primary Healthcare Centre, on Tuesday in Lagos.

“Today is groundbreaking ceremony for our primary healthcare centre, a 30-bed space to take care of residents of the Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA.

“It is not just about building a facility, but also about a functional facility with qualified doctors and people who will continue to deliver quality medical care to our people.

“That is what we are doing here today, “ he said.

 

The chairman said that construction of the facility would begin immediately and be completed within the next four months.

He called on the community members to support the council and allow  workers on site to do what they should  do, in order to deliver  the project within the stipulated time.

“Once we leave the site, workers will commence work, we have earmarked funds for this project,“ Atanda-Lawal said.

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Japan’s Bird Flu Cases Surge In January

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Bird Flu

Japan’s Bird Flu Cases Surge In January—-Japan is experiencing a surge of avian influenza outbreak, with approximately five million chickens and other birds culled across five prefectures this month.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has confirmed the new outbreaks at two poultry farms in Morioka City this week.

This has prompted the establishment of an on-site response headquarters in Iwate Prefecture.

In total, 26 outbreak sites have been identified this month, with nearly five million birds impacted.

The ministry warned that the outbreaks could show no signs of slowing and the situation may worsen, potentially breaking past records.

The ministry also noted the impact on egg prices, reporting a 15per cent increase since the start of the year.

Some industry observers have raised concerns about potential supply shortages as the effects of avian influenza begin to take hold.

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