Deputy Health Minister Visits Psychiatric Hospital Ahead of Kush Victims’ Admission
By Sorie Sesay
The Deputy Minister (I) of Health, Dr. Charles Senesie, on Tuesday led a high-level delegation to the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Hospital in Kissy to assess the facility’s readiness to receive 120 victims of the kush drug epidemic for a 12-week rehabilitation program.
The visit formed part of the government’s ongoing efforts to tackle the growing menace of kush, a synthetic drug that has ravaged communities across the country.
During the visit, Abdul Jalloh, Director of Mental Health and Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health, said the inspection was to evaluate the hospital’s capacity to accommodate and treat the incoming patients.
He explained that the Ministry decided to act after observing an upsurge in social media reports on drug abuse, particularly kush, which has led to severe mental and physical health problems among young people.
Jalloh noted that while the hospital has been handling mental health and substance abuse cases for some time, it continues to face serious challenges such as inadequate medication, staff shortages, and limited resources. Despite these constraints, he said the facility has competent professionals providing essential care to patients.
“The Ministry’s primary mandate under President Bio’s task force on drugs is to ensure treatment and care for affected persons,” Jalloh said. “Out of the five key goals of the task force, treatment and rehabilitation remain our top priority.”
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mustapha Kabba commended the hospital’s progress, noting an increase in the number of doctors and nurses specializing in psychiatry and mental health. He said this progress is improving the quality of care nationwide.
Dr. Kabba stressed that the kush crisis has become a major public health emergency. “The 120 victims expected at this hospital deserve proper care, respect, and dignity,” he said, urging staff to remain committed to their duties.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister Senesie reaffirmed the government’s determination to intensify the fight against kush and drug abuse nationwide. He said several ministries, working under the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), have teamed up to remove drug-affected individuals from the streets and place them in treatment centers across the country.
“The government has provided full support and resources to ensure these victims receive appropriate care,” Dr. Senesie said. “Just as we have successfully managed disease outbreaks in the past, we are confident we can also overcome this drug crisis.”
He assured the hospital staff of the Ministry is backing and expressed confidence in their ability to deliver quality treatment to the incoming patients.
The 120 kush victims are expected to begin their rehabilitation program at the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Hospital in the coming days.
