A total of 596 people have completed an intensive eight-week government rehabilitation and reintegration programme aimed at addressing drug and substance abuse in Sierra Leone.
The graduates were discharged during a ceremony held at the PMTC Rehabilitation Center in Hastings. Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh attended the event on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio.
Describing the effort as a coordinated national response, Dr. Sengeh said the programme reflects the government’s “One Government” approach. “This initiative is a demonstration of our ‘One Government’ approach, where multiple sectors work together to address the challenges of substance abuse in our society,” he stated.
The rehabilitation programme, now in its sixth cohort, has been supported by several government institutions, the military, private foundations, and other stakeholders.
Dr. Sengeh also reiterated the government’s broader commitment to tackling substance abuse, noting that rehabilitation centres have been established across the country, while private citizens have also set up facilities to help those affected.
On regulation, he said the government has moved to tighten controls on Tramadol, which is widely associated with misuse. “Yesterday, the Government of Sierra Leone banned the importation of Tramadol in tablet form and limited its use to 50mg capsules under authorized care,” he said.
He added that legal and enforcement measures are also being strengthened, with new laws and faster legal processes planned to address drug-related offences. “Faster courts, tougher punishments, and more civic education are all part of the government’s strategy to fight the growing problem of drug abuse,” Dr. Sengeh remarked.
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Concluding his address, the Chief Minister emphasized the administration’s determination to confront substance abuse, saying: “We must, and we will, kick Kush out of Sierra Leone – ‘e more than easy’.”
