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Deadly doses: Mental health expert blames technology and parenting failures

A former president of the Ghana Psychological Association (GPA) has attributed the rising trend of drug abuse among the youth to a combination of technological exposure and a decline in effective parenting.

Dr. Collins Badu Agyemang, speaking on JoyNews, in reaction to the latest Hotline documentary “Deadly Doses”, argued that these societal shifts are creating a generation susceptible to behavioural addictions and substance misuse.

Dr. Agyemang acknowledged on Friday, August 29, that while technology and the internet offer numerous advantages, they also expose students to significant risks.

“The students are very much exposed, and that in itself introduces some risk in terms of their behaviour, in terms of some behavioural addictions,” he stated.

This unfiltered exposure, he suggested, is a major factor in the vulnerability of young people.

Furthermore, Dr. Agyemang criticised modern parenting, saying, “parents are no longer parenting.”

He contended that many parents have become solely focused on being financial providers, neglecting the emotional and psychological needs of their children.

This shift, he believes, is a critical problem that must be addressed to protect the youth.

The mental health expert also pointed to a lack of institutional capacity to deal with the problem. According to him, the resources and number of professionals available in counselling centres at tertiary institutions are “deplorable”.

He called on the government to take a more proactive role in equipping these agencies. “We must be intentional when it comes to moulding the minds and behaviour patterns,” he emphasised, stressing the need for a national commitment to providing the necessary support systems.

Watch the full documentary below:

Bail for drug offenders frustrating law enforcement – Top cop reveals

A top police officer has revealed that Ghana’s current bail system for drug possession cases is a significant obstacle in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.

According to Chief Superintendent Dr. (Med) Birgit Nuro-Panin, Head of the Psychiatry Department at the Police Hospital, the ability for suspects to be bailed so quickly allows them to evade further investigation and prosecution, undermining police efforts to dismantle drug networks.

Speaking at a JoyNews dialogue titled “Breaking the Chains: Ghana’s Opioid Crisis,” Dr. Nuro-Panin explained that the quick release of suspects poses a major challenge to law enforcement.

“Once you pick someone up, once they are able to go back into their community, they are able to hide better because we are not tracking the person that we’ve picked up,” she said.

She elaborated that police rely on information and intelligence gathered during an arrest to conduct “bigger drug sweeps” and trace the supply chain.

However, with suspects often bailed within an hour, this window of opportunity is lost.

“By the time you get your necessary intelligence, they’ve gone underground,” she lamented.

The police officer also emphasised the critical role of evidence in successful prosecutions, which becomes difficult to secure when the primary source of intelligence disappears.

“It’s not a matter of, oh yeah, we caught this person and they said person A or person B is a distributor or an importer. So with the lack of evidence, it becomes more difficult to prosecute,” she added.

Dr. Nuro-Panin’s comments shed light on one of the key systemic challenges in combating Ghana’s escalating drug problem.

Recent data from the Narcotic Control Board reveals a concerning trend, with 50,000 drug users in Ghana, of which 35,000 are students aged between 12 and 35.

The most commonly abused opioids include Tramadol, as well as the more potent and illicitly imported Tapentadol and Carisoprodol.

Government and regulatory bodies like the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) have ramped up efforts to combat the crisis, including the reclassification of Tramadol as a controlled substance and the destruction of large consignments of illegal opioids at the borders.

A joint task force involving the FDA, Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), and Customs has also been established to tighten border controls and conduct raids on illicit drug operations.

However, the police’s struggle with the bail system highlights a crucial gap in the country’s multifaceted approach.

While other agencies focus on supply reduction and public awareness, the ability of law enforcement to effectively prosecute offenders is being hampered by legal provisions that, while intended to protect individual rights, are inadvertently frustrating the fight against drug crime.

The challenges raised by Dr. Nuro-Panin underscore the need for a comprehensive review of legal frameworks to better support the efforts of security agencies in tackling the nation’s drug crisis.

Opioid abuse: We’re failing the youth – Mental Health Authority boss warns

Ghana’s fight against substance abuse has reached a critical stage, with the Chief Executive of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Eugene K. Dordoye, delivering a stark warning that the nation is “failing the youth” in the face of a growing opioid crisis.

Speaking at a JoyNews dialogue themed “Breaking the chains: Ghana’s opioid crisis” on Thursday, August 28, Dr. Dordoye highlighted the unique dangers of opioid addiction for the developing brains of young people.

The dialogue follows JoyNews’ latest investigative documentary, Deadly Doses, which uncovered a surge in drug use among young people in the Ashanti Region.

According to Dr. Dordoye,  a consultant psychiatrist and addiction expert, the addictive nature of opioids is particularly aggressive, as the brain quickly develops a tolerance to the drug, requiring ever-increasing doses to achieve the same effect.

“Unfortunately, very unfortunately, the mind is such that if you take drugs of abuse. Tomorrow, it will demand more, because what you took today will not give you the same high tomorrow,” he explained.

The Head of Department at the University of Health and Allied Sciences also cautioned about the life-threatening risks associated with both overdose and withdrawal.

“If you take too much of it too at a time, you can get overdose death because the drug would depress your respiratory centre, meaning that you start breathing very slowly, so you don’t get enough energy or oxygen into your body to use, so you more or less suffocate,” he warned.

The danger, he added, is not limited to overdose.

Abruptly stopping long-term use can trigger a severe withdrawal syndrome that can also be fatal, making professional medical supervision essential for those attempting to quit, he revealed.

Dr. Dordoye underscored the demographic most at risk: the youth.

He cited an alarming statistic that about one in four people who begin drug abuse before the age of 19 will become dependent on it, compared to just one in nine who start after age 24.

This highlights a heightened vulnerability of the young, developing brain.

“If we are able to protect our young people for some time before they start using, we stand a higher chance of them not getting into it,” he stated.

However, he lamented the lack of adequate protective measures. “Unfortunately, we are not protecting our young ones, and I think as a nation, we are failing them,” he said.

Opioid abuse in Ghana has been primarily driven by the misuse of Tramadol, a synthetic opioid, which is widely used by young men in the informal sector to cope with the physical and non-physical pains of strenuous work and economic hardship.

However, the crisis has evolved, with a surge in the illicit importation of even more potent opioids like Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, often under unregistered brands like Tafrodol and Timaking.

Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and other security agencies have intercepted large shipments of these unapproved drugs at entry points, underscoring the severity of the illegal trade.

Recent efforts by the government and regulatory bodies include:

• Reclassification of Tramadol: It is now a controlled drug, restricting its sale to prescription use only.
• Destruction of Illicit Drugs: The Ministry of Health and the FDA have publicly destroyed large consignments of illegal opioids to deter traffickers and raise public awareness.
• Inter-agency Collaboration: A joint task force involving the FDA, Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), and Customs is intensifying checks at borders and conducting raids to remove illicit substances from circulation.
• Public Awareness Campaigns: Initiatives like the “Daabi-Say No to Drug Abuse” campaign are targeting the youth through innovative means, including music videos featuring popular artists.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain, including porous borders and limited inter-agency intelligence sharing.

As Dr. Dordoye’s words echo, a more concerted and sustained national effort is needed to protect Ghana’s youth from the devastating and often fatal consequences of opioid abuse.

Opioids are essential for pain relief but pose a high addiction risk – FDA

The Head of the Substances of Abuse Department at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Dr. Allotey-Pappoe, has cautioned that Ghana faces a growing risk from the misuse of opioids, warning that their addictive nature poses a major public health concern.

Speaking at the JoyNews National Dialogue on Ghana’s opioid crisis on Thursday, August 28, Dr. Allotey-Pappoe explained that opioids, a class of drugs derived either naturally from the poppy plant or synthesized in laboratories, play a dual role in healthcare and abuse.

“When we talk about opioids, we are talking about a class of drugs that come from the poppy plant. We have those that are naturally obtained, such as heroin and morphine, and others that are synthetically derived, like tramadol, tapentadol, and fentanyl,” she said.

According to her, while opioids remain essential in clinical settings for the management of moderate to severe pain, their psychoactive properties make them highly addictive.

“Opioids trigger the release of endorphins, creating feelings of excitement and happiness. That is how people get hooked, because of the euphoria that comes with it,” she noted.

Dr. Allotey-Pappoe stressed that no responsible clinician would prescribe opioids for long-term use due to the high risk of dependence.

In Ghana, she said, only tramadol doses of 50 and 100 milligrams are legally permitted, while codeine-containing cough syrups have been banned since 2019 following widespread abuse.

She further disclosed that tapentadol, a synthetic opioid recently entering the Ghanaian market, is not registered for medical use in the country and does not appear in national treatment guidelines.

“Any tapentadol you see on the market is unregistered and therefore illegal,” she cautioned.

GHS confirms surge in typhoid cases in Oti Region

The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in collaboration with the Oti Regional Coordinating Council and under the guidance of the Ministry of Health, has launched an emergency response to a concerning rise in Typhoid Fever cases across several districts in the Oti Region.

According to GHS, the affected areas include Biakoye, Krachi East, Krachi West, and Krachi Nchumuru, where health authorities have reported a significant increase in suspected cases over the past weeks.

In a statement issued on Thursday, August 28, the GHS confirmed that a National Case Management Rapid Response Team has been deployed to support the regional health team in assessing the situation and coordinating a swift response.

“The Ghana Health Service, with support from the Ministry of Health, has deployed the National Case Management Rapid Response Team to support the regional team to ascertain the situation,” the statement read.

Typhoid fever is endemic in Ghana and is caused by the Salmonella Typhi bacteria. It spreads through the faecal-oral route, typically when people consume food or water contaminated with the faeces or urine of an infected person.

Health officials warn that individuals infected with the bacteria may not always show symptoms but can still spread the disease.

Common symptoms include:

• Persistent fever
• Chills
• General malaise
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Abdominal pain (with or without diarrhoea)

The GHS is urging the public, particularly residents in the affected districts, to observe the following preventive measures:

• Ensure all drinking water is safe, preferably by boiling.
• Wash hands with soap under running water after using the toilet and before eating.
• Avoid open defecation, especially near water sources.
• Cook food thoroughly, cover cooked meals, and avoid street food prepared in unhygienic conditions.
• Take part in community clean-up campaigns to eliminate refuse from public spaces, gutters, and market areas.

Authorities are encouraging residents to remain calm and cooperate with health personnel on the ground.

The GHS has assured the public that comprehensive measures will be rolled out following the team’s initial assessment to contain the outbreak and protect lives.

“We wish to entreat the public to remain calm and follow the expert advice from the medical personnel on the ground. We will provide further details after the initial assessment and institute measures that will protect life in the affected districts and the region as a whole,” the statement concluded.

Health Ministry to extend Ridge Hospital assault probe recommendations nationwide

The Ministry of Health has announced that recommendations from the committee set up to investigate the recent assault at Ridge Hospital in Accra will be extended to health facilities across the country.

Read also: Full report: Ridge assault investigative committee submits findings to health minister

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Tony Goodman, said that although the six-member committee’s findings were directed at Ridge Hospital, the measures would be implemented in other facilities across the country.

He explained that the recommendations were carefully designed to strengthen health service delivery and improve safety, adding that the ministry would not hesitate to apply them broadly to ensure similar incidents do not occur elsewhere.

“I spoke to the minister, who said he put a team in place to quickly do this implementation as part of the policy we are introducing, which is to improve upon the systems we have, so this is not only geared towards the Ridge Hospital but to other hospitals across the country.”

“When you look at the recommendation, we mentioned that this should look at other facilities; the recommendations, even though it is for Ridge, these things are happening in other hospitals…. so it is a recommendation the minister has taken seriously,” he added.

The decision follows a recent violent attack at Ridge Hospital, which raised serious concerns about security, staff welfare and access to healthcare services at state health institutions.

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Jefferson Asare, has challenged aspects of the ministerial committee’s findings on the alleged assault of a nurse at the Ridge Hospital, insisting that the official medical diagnosis recorded was polycontusion.

Read also: GRNMA raises credibility issues with Ridge assault probe

Ridge Hospital saga: Nurse’s reputation now at stake – Nii Lante Vanderpuye

The National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has criticised the nurse at the centre of the recent Ridge Hospital assault case, following findings by a committee set up to investigate the incident.

Read also: GRNMA raises credibility issues with Ridge assault probe

The committee’s report revealed that, contrary to earlier claims by the nurse and the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), there was no shoulder dislocation or fracture as alleged.

Reacting to the outcome on Channel One TV on Thursday, August 28, Mr Vanderpuye said the nurse’s credibility and professional reputation were now at stake.

“In this incident, your whole profession as a health professional is at stake. I wonder how people will see her within the space and which institutions will want to work with her because her head of department is saying something contrary to what she said.”

He further argued that the nurse mishandled the matter by pursuing it personally rather than allowing her institution to take responsibility.

“I think that the lady nurse has also put herself so much into the whole controversy.”

“The first person you will report to is your head of department. In this situation, if she had reported to the head of department and the management, Ridge Hospital as an institution would take up this fight,” he explained.

Mr Vanderpuye also criticised her for taking the matter to the GRNMA instead of her place of work, the Ridge Hospital.

“The association (GRNMA) she belongs to should not be the maiden institution that should be fighting this. You can’t run to your association and leave your main department (Ridge Hospital),” he insisted.

Full report: Ridge assault investigative committee submits findings to health minister

The Ridge Assault Investigative Committee has handed over its report to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh concerning the incident that occurred on 17th August, 2025, at the Emergency Department of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH).

The incident, which involved alleged delays in treating a critically injured patient, escalated into verbal aggression and the assault of a nurse, prompting management to call in the Ghana Police Service to restore order.

The episode drew significant public outrage after video footage of the alleged assault spread rapidly online.

Below are the key findings outlined by the committee: