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Minister of Internal Affairs, AIG (Rtd.) Morie Lengor has launched the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) Drug-Use Disorder Treatment and Rehabilitation Regulatory Framework alongside the agency’s official website.
The newly launched framework sets out standardized care protocols aimed at improving recovery outcomes and expanding access to evidence-based psychosocial services for people affected by substance addiction.
At the launch, Minister Lengor said the occasion marked two important achievements: the launch of the agency’s first official website and the introduction of a regulatory framework for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug-use disorders in Sierra Leone.
He noted that the timing was critical, given three pressing concerns: the growing spread of harmful synthetic substances and their damaging effects on society, the rapid and largely unsupervised establishment of treatment and rehabilitation centres across the country, and the increasing spread of misinformation about drugs on social media platforms.
Additionally, he explained that the document is rooted in the 2008 National Drug Control Act, which established the agency and gave it the mandate to lead interventions relating to illicit drugs, including the treatment and rehabilitation of people with drug-use disorders.
Furthermore, NDLEA Executive Director Andrew Jaiah Kaikai outlined policy measures and planned regulatory reforms aimed at raising standards in drug-use rehabilitation. He said the changes would strengthen oversight and ensure quality, safety, and compliance across treatment centres. He also commended the efforts of the joint Sierra Leone Police and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces special unit in combating substance abuse.
Launching the NDLEA’s official website, Deputy National Security Coordinator at the Office of National Security, Dr. Ahmed A. Sannoh, who represented NSCORD, described the event as a major national milestone in addressing the worsening crisis of substance abuse and youth vulnerability. He emphasized the close relationship between public health and national security.
The Drug-Use Disorder Treatment and Rehabilitation Regulatory Framework is expected to promote professionalism, strengthen licensing and monitoring, establish ethical standards, enforce accountability, and protect vulnerable people seeking care. Its implementation is also expected to build greater public confidence in treatment and rehabilitation services.
