The Senior Correctional Centre (SCC), in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, has organised a symposium on drug abuse for juveniles at the centre as part of the regional commemoration of the gender week celebration by the Ghana Prisons Service.

A psychiatrist with the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Adwoa Kusi-Kyere, facilitated the symposium at the Borstal Hall with the theme "drug abuse and its consequences on health."

Dr. Adwoa Kusi-Kyere educated the juveniles on avoiding substances such as tramadol, red, blue blue, cannabis, weed, alcohol, and others.

Deputy Director of Prisons, Mrs. Yayra Ashong-Mettle, the Officer-In-Charge (OIC) at the Senior Correctional Centre outlined some strategies to consider while serving their jail term.

She mentioned that rehabilitation programs available at the Senior Correctional Centre serve as a powerful remodeling tool to straighten their paths to become responsible citizens devoid of substance abuse.

The OIC called on the Borstal Boys to always avail themselves for counseling sessions in order to address any underlying issue bothering their minds.

Also, she underscored that cognitive-behavioral therapy available at the station helps juveniles to identify and change negative thought patterns that would benefit them in the long term.

DDP. Ashong-Mettle noted that, by providing a supportive environment and evidence-based programs, inmates who were once addicted to substance abuse could overcome addiction and develop a positive path towards rehabilitation and reintegration.

She admonished other stations to consider counseling and organizing symposiums to highlight the effects of substance abuse on inmates and officers to ensure good mental well-being.

Dr. Adwoa Kusi-Kyere also urged them to refrain from using narcotic drugs when released from incarceration.

She noted that substance abuse creates numerous problems, including financial, legal, educational, and health which affect an individual in the long term.

On her part, one could put a stop to substance abuse irrespective of the stage; whether at a starting, experimenting, or addictive stage, there is hope and help to counsel an individual to refrain from drugs.

Ghana Prisons Service's Gender Week Celebration

The Ghana Prisons Service observed this year's Gender Week celebration at all prison facilities in the Eastern Region.

From Thursday, May 8 to 16, the celebration was held. For the closing conference, all individuals from the command who promote, coordinate, and monitor gender-related issues gathered at the Nsawam Female Prison.

The theme for this year's celebration was "Empowering Women, Empowering Communities—The role of mothers in combating the new trend of drug menace among the youth."

Several activities, such as health screening, a health walk, fun games, a talk on drug abuse, and a thanksgiving service at their various stations, were held at Akuse male and female, Koforidua, and the Nsawam Complex prisons.

As part of the commemoration, Osamkrom Prison Ladies Association (PRILAS) donated sanitary pads to 85 girls of Osamkrom D/A Basic School in the Central Region.

This initiative aimed to support menstrual hygiene management and raise awareness about the importance of menstrual health.

The Prisons Headquarters Gender Unit climaxed the Gender Week celebration with a thanksgiving service on Friday, May 16, at the Prisons Interdenominational Church, Cantonments.