Actions to tackle drugs 

By: Emmanuel Wise Jipoh 

Monrovia, August 20, 2025: To tackle drugs and illicit substances here, the Multi-Sectoral Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse has concluded a two-day strategic session to heighten the national fight against substance abuse.

The session is to intensify Liberia’s fight against the growing wave of narcotics and substance abuse through a unified and actionable strategy.

During the two-day session at the Ministry of Health in Congo Town, health stakeholders endorsed stronger enforcement, rehabilitation, and prevention measures to combat narcotics.

The strategic session brought together government ministries, security agencies, development partners, and civil society organizations to review progress under the National Drug and Substance Abuse Program (NADSAP), as well as to strengthen interagency coordination.

At the opening session, Health Minister and Chair of the Multi-Sectorial Committee, Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to what she termed a “whole-of-society response” to the drug crisis.

 “This session is not just about discussions; it is about decisions and actions. We’re leaving here with a clearer roadmap, and we must all ensure that the commitments made are translated into practical interventions across every sector,” she emphasized.

The Minister of Health also urged all stakeholders to remain committed beyond the meeting hall. “The fight against substance abuse is not a two-day exercise. It is a national emergency, and the success of our collective response depends on consistent action, accountability, and collaboration,” she stated.

The event also established a Technical Working Group (TWG). During technical sessions, the Director of the Mental Health Unit at the Ministry of Health (MOH),

Dr. Moses Ziah II presented the committee’s progress report, highlighting enforcement actions by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), community rehabilitation efforts, vocational training for recovering users, and policy reforms led by the Ministry of Justice and allied agencies.

At the conclusion of deliberations, participants endorsed a set of recommendations, including scaling up law enforcement operations, expanding nationwide rehabilitation and treatment services, and accelerating prevention programs in schools, communities, and workplaces. The session also prioritized resource mobilization and the operationalization of the national drug information system to better track usage trends.

International partners, including the UN system, YWCA, and Mother of Light Rehabilitation Center, pledged continued support through technical assistance, funding, and capacity-building initiatives.