To combat the rising scourge of Opioid misuse and addiction in Nigeria, the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) and the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA), said it is set to host an Opioid Seminar and Naloxone Training Workshop in Abuja.
In a communique released in Abuja, the ANPA President Charmaine Emelife, said the workshop is aimed at equipping the Nigerian Healthcare Professionals (Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists, Physician Assistants, Principal Investigators, Study Coordinators and Biomedical Researchers) with the knowledge, skills and tools for combating the challenges of the Opioid addiction Epidemic.

The communiqué noted that there is a rising misuse of drugs for recreational purposes in Nigeria, adding that this has been a source of concern for the Nigerian Health Authorities and healthcare professionals.

According to the communiqué, a recent survey led by the Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Center for Research and Information on Substance Abuse showed that over the past year alone, nearly 15% of the adult population in Nigeria (around 14.3 million people) reported a “considerable level” of use of psychoactive drug substances.
“This rate is considerably much higher than the 2016 global average of 5.6% among adults.
“The most common opioid implicated in this crisis is Tramadol and Codeine-based Syrup. Tramadol and Codeine exhibits an effect profile similar to that of other opioid agonists,” it said.
“They bind to receptors in the brain and spinal cord, disrupting pain signals. They also activate the reward areas of the brain by releasing the hormone dopamine, creating a feeling of euphoria or a “high when the drug is taken at higher doses. This can lead to hallucinations, delusions, schizophrenia and organ failure,” the communiqué emphasized.

Furthermore, it explained that tramadol and codeine, including other potent mixtures of several drugs with high risk of fatal overdoses have been reported.
“Quartz Africa, an online based economic journal, reports the common use of “gutter water,” a widely consumed cocktail mix of codeine, tramadol, rohypnol, cannabis and water or juice. Some young adults are also turning to crude concoctions as alternatives, including smoking lizard parts and dung as well as sniffing glue, petrol, sewage and urine as inhalants.
“These concerns are at the heart of this effort by the Doctors and Pharmacists. It is hoped that the training and the follow up advocacy by the two organizations will complement other efforts by other professional organizations and other government and multilateral agencies to eradicate the scourge of opioid abuse.”