Brazzaville, 20 February 2007 -- WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo on Monday in Brazzaville urged countries in the region to take steps to curb the abuse of pychoactive substances.

Dr Sambo made the plea while opening a workshop on the prevention, management and treatment of problems linked to the use and abuse of psychoactive substances in the African region.

“Legal and illegal substances circulate in a chaotic manner in most our countries and their local production and importation are facilitated by the absence or non application of legislation or policies in this sector”, said Dr Sambo.

The Regional Director, whose statement was read by the Director of Programme Management, Dr P.S. Lusamba-Dikassa, urged Member States to strengthen their capacity to collect data to elaborate policies and legislation, and to prevent and reduce the negative health and social consequences of psychoactive substance abuse.

Dr Sambo stressed the need for greater collaboration between sub-regional, regional and continental groupings as well as United Nations agencies in order to develop appropriate policies and legislation to confront the challenges posed by the abuse of pyschoactive substances.

He also pledged that WHO would continue to assist in strengthening the capacity of Member States to deal with the problem.

The four-day workshop is being attended by mental health specialists Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Central Africa Republic, the Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Mauritius, Senegal and Togo.

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