Somalia’s Health Minister, Dr Ali Haji Adam Abubakar, has told the House of the People that the Ministry of Health has submitted a list of high-risk drugs to the Somali Police Force and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) to facilitate their seizure.
Dr Ali said the list contains medicines that are dangerously misused as narcotics and pose a serious threat to public health. He noted that the two security agencies would use the information to track down individuals involved in using and importing the substances.
The minister warned that the misuse of such drugs causes more than 500,000 deaths worldwide annually. He added that men account for approximately 66.67 per cent of the reported deaths.
“We have submitted the list of high-risk drugs that are misused as narcotics to NISA and the police so they can seize them. Around 600,000 people, including approximately 400,000 men, die annually from drugs misused as narcotics,” Dr Ali told lawmakers.
Somalia is among the countries facing challenges related to the misuse of medicines as narcotics. Several individuals accused of crimes linked to the misuse of such substances have previously appeared before the country’s military courts.
The move is said to be part of efforts to strengthen the monitoring and control of dangerous drugs, prevent their misuse and protect communities from the harmful effects of substance abuse.
In Somalia, the misuse of these drugs among young people has become a growing concern, with substance abuse linked to criminal activities, violence and other security challenges that threaten public safety and community stability.
Mustaqbal
