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The Government of Sierra Leone officially commissioned the nation’s fifth rehabilitation facility at the Teko Military Barracks in Makeni City, northern Sierra Leone.
The Makeni Rehabilitation Centre was inaugurated by Professor Foday Sahr, Chairman of the National Taskforce on Drug and Substance Abuse. The facility marks a major expansion of the state-funded network designed to treat and reintegrate victims of substance abuse across the country.
During the commissioning ceremony, Prof. Sahr underscored the government’s “unwavering commitment” to protecting the nation’s youth. He emphasized that the Teko facility is not an isolated project but part of a strategic, fully government-funded nationwide response.
“The establishment of this fifth centre reflects our sustained dedication to tackling the substance abuse crisis head-on,” Prof. Sahr stated, noting that the government remains focused on safeguarding the future of the population.
A representative for the beneficiaries welcomed the initiative but highlighted the complexities of the recovery journey.
Additionally, Mrs. Margaret Dumbuya, a parent of one of the beneficiaries appreciated the effort of the government. she noted that mothers often bear the heaviest burden of the crisis.
“Substance abuse continues to devastate families across the country,” Mrs. Dumbuya said, expressing profound relief that professional help is now accessible in the district.
The opening of the Makeni centre reinforces the government’s strategy that recovery is not merely a medical process, but a community-wide responsibility aimed at sustainable reintegration and long-term national security.
However, substance abuse remains a major problem for some young people in the West African country. With the advent of the synthetic drug, Kush some young people easily become addicts and end up finding themselves in an uphill road to recovery. The majority of kush addicts end up losing their lives in miserable manner -often in isolation and neglect along the streets of the capital, Freetown and some major cities in the country.
Currently, the country has inadequate psychiatric facilities, but centres like this one in Makeni is expected to boost rehabilitation and recoveries of most addicts.
