By CrossRiverWatch Admin
Following the ban of codeine containing syrups, the Cross River State Government has inaugurated a Health Emergency Response Team in the state to work in synergy with the State Drug Abuse Control Committee (SDACC).
According to the Cross River State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong and CrossRiverWatch Man Of The Year (MOTY), who also heads the committee, “Incessant drug abuse among our youths has recently become worrisome which is why the Cross River State Government led by Senator Ben Ayade has inaugurated this committee to clamp down on illegal use and purchase of these drugs.”
The Commissioner added that proper awareness and sensitization on the dangers of drug abuse will be carried out by the team to school aged children and adults with assistance provided for those youths currently fighting drug addiction by providing them with guidance and counseling services.
Present in the inauguration was the World Health Organization (WHO), State Co-coordinator Dr. Tom Igbu, Chairman Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Cross River State Chapter, Mr. Ekpenyong Effiong amongst others who all took turns to laud the initiative and promised to support the state and the committee.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government had banned the importation of codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough preparations following a BBC documentary that exposed the massive abuse of the drug in the country.
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