The Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF-PSN) has announced a nationwide awareness campaign to combat the growing menace of drug and substance abuse across the country. The initiative, which aims to promote mental health and public safety, was unveiled at the 7th BOF-PSN Public Lecture held in Lagos.
Themed “Mental Health as a Basic Human Right: Crucial to Personal, Community, and Socio-Economic Development,” the lecture served as a platform for strategic stakeholder engagement on the intersection between drug abuse and mental health.
National Chairman of BOF-PSN, Pharm. Uchenna Uzoma Apakama, said the initiative will reach into the grassroots to sensitize Nigerians about the risks and consequences of substance misuse. “Under my leadership, BOF will work tirelessly to bring drug abuse awareness to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria,” Apakama said. “It is imperative that every citizen, particularly our youth, understands the life-threatening impact of drug abuse.”
The event attracted the support of key national figures, including the Chairman/CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, who served as Special Guest of Honour and Chairman of the Occasion, respectively.
Gen. Marwa described the campaign as a vital step in the fight against drug abuse, stressing the importance of a multi-sectoral approach in which pharmacists play a frontline role. “Behind every drug user is a family in distress,” he stated. “We must view mental health not just as the absence of illness, but as a vital component of national development.”
He commended the BOF-PSN for championing the awareness effort and highlighted recent legislative reforms, including the passage of the Pharmacists Council Bill Act 2023, aimed at regulating the distribution of controlled substances. Marwa reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to supporting pharmacists in combating the illegal drug trade and reducing the abuse of prescription medications.
In his address, Speaker Obasa called for greater mental health integration in public health policy, citing the Lagos State Mental Health Law of 2018 as a framework for community-based mental care. “Mental health is not a privilege—it is a right,” he stated. “Untreated mental illness is a threat to peace, productivity, and national progress.”
He urged pharmacists to remain vigilant in detecting counterfeit medications and to play an active role in public health advocacy.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri, a consultant psychiatrist and CEO of RediMed Consulting Services, who emphasized that “we all have mental health,” and that public education is key to dismantling stigma and encouraging access to care.
The event was attended by dignitaries from across the health and pharmaceutical sectors, including PSN President Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, NAFDAC Director General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye (represented by Dr. Rametu Momodu), and past PSN President Pharm. (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa.
As BOF-PSN prepares to roll out its awareness campaign nationwide, stakeholders underscored the urgency of sustained collaboration between healthcare professionals, government agencies, and civil society in addressing drug abuse and promoting mental wellness across Nigeria.