The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has strengthened its regional response to drug abuse with the launch of the 2024 West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU) Report in Banjul.
The WENDU initiative, implemented by the ECOWAS Commission’s Department of Human Development and Social Affairs, provides critical data on drug use trends, emerging threats, and regional responses across all ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania. The 2024 edition, which is the fifth since the program’s inception, offers updated figures, a policy brief, and a peer-reviewed publication to support evidence-based policymaking.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs at the ECOWAS Commission, described the report as a “major stride toward data-driven interventions.” She revealed that ECOWAS has invested over USD 1.4 million in drug treatment infrastructure, funding rehabilitation centers in ten Member States and training more than 200 professionals under the Universal Treatment and Prevention Curricula. The Commission has also supported National Drug Master Plans in 14 Member States and Mauritania.
Director General of The Gambia’s Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEAG), Mr. Demba Ceesay, reaffirmed The Gambia’s commitment to evidence-based strategies in combating drug abuse. He highlighted the construction of the country’s first specialized drug treatment and rehabilitation center, an initiative inspired by WENDU findings. He described it as “a milestone in promoting rehabilitation over punishment.”
Speaking on behalf of Interior Minister Hon. Abdoulie Sanyang, Deputy Permanent Secretary Mr. Abraham Mendy commended ECOWAS for its leadership and collaboration in tackling drug abuse and trafficking. He emphasized that the WENDU Report offers a strong foundation for policies targeting substance abuse among young people and urged stakeholders to use its findings effectively.
Launching the report, Dr. Momodou T. Nyassi, Director of Health Services at The Gambia’s Ministry of Health, called for compassionate and integrated approaches to addiction and mental health treatment. He described the WENDU Report as “both a mirror and a guide,” reflecting the realities of drug use while providing direction for policy action.
The 2024 WENDU Report underscores ECOWAS’s renewed commitment to a safer, healthier, and drug-free West Africa.
