Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo has called for enactment of drug policy in universities across the country to tackle substance-taking among youths.
The institution’s College of Health Sciences, at the end of a five-day conference tagged: “Health Promotion and the Agenda for Sustainable Development” issued a communiqué, urging the government to implement the National Health Promotion Policy for health development.
Reading the communiqué, the Provost, Prof. Alebiosu Olutayo, represented by Dean, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, Prof. Victor Mabayoje, said: “SDG3, which is the goal directly related to health, can only be achieved by promoting health and addressing the determinants of health through the lenses of SDGs.
“Nigeria is aware of the potential of health promotion for health development, as evidenced by the goal of the National Health Promotion Policy, which is: ‘To empower the Nigerian populace to take timely actions in disease prevention, improving their health and well-being, as well as taking measures that ensure a healthy society’.
He said federal, state and local governments must engage in collaborative efforts to meet the challenges surrounding the health care system.
“The community can sustain their own health, and people are always ready to put their money where their mouth is. Simple health education and promotion will do the magic. Primary Health Care centre models designed in alignment with the key principles of alma mater are possible in Nigeria.“
“Addressing Nigeria’s health challenges means investing in highly cost-effective health promoting policies and interventions, which have high cost-benefit ratios.”
He criticised the non-implementation of the goal of the National Health Promotion Policy, saying: “Government must introduce drug policy in universities because substance use among youths these days has reached a worrisome proportion. Technocrats should be approved to head agencies for the development of SDGs.”