The Anambra State Government in south-eastern Nigeria has inaugurated a new rehabilitation facility for recovering drug users at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) in Awka, marking a notable step in efforts to address substance misuse and its associated health risks.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, urged healthcare workers to uphold high standards of professionalism in the care of patients undergoing treatment.
He emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring that individuals battling addiction receive comprehensive care and are supported in reintegrating into society.
According to him, drug dependency often exposes users to serious health complications, including infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, largely due to high-risk behaviours such as needle sharing and unsafe sexual practices. He noted that the new centre is designed to address both the medical and social dimensions of addiction recovery.
The facility will implement Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT), a globally recognised treatment approach that uses controlled medications to ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce dependence on illicit substances.
The State HIV Coordinator, Dr Tonia Mbagwu, explained that patients will be treated with regulated opioid substitutes such as methadone, alongside counselling and other support services, to help them gradually overcome addiction.
The initiative is supported by the Global Fund, with implementation assistance from the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria. It forms part of a broader intervention being rolled out across several Nigerian states, including Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe and Kwara.
Officials say the new centre complements existing rehabilitation services in the state, such as the Solution Rehabilitation Centre in Nibo, and reflects a growing recognition of addiction as a public health issue requiring structured treatment and long-term support.
Senior health officials, including Permanent Secretary Dr Obiageli Uchebo and Director of Public Health Dr Afam Aneme, attended the inauguration.