NACOC Pushes for More Rehab Centres, Warns of Rising Addiction and Mental Health Crisis

The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has renewed calls for the establishment of more rehabilitation facilities across Ghana, citing the growing number of drug addicts and persons battling mental health challenges who lack access to proper care.

Speaking on the issue at “Kessben Maakye” in Accra, the Acting Director of NACOC , Francis Opoku Amoah explained that under the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), a rehabilitation fund was instituted to support the creation of centres to cater for addiction treatment and reintegration. However, despite the existence of several rehabilitation centres in the country, many of them are privately owned and remain out of reach for most victims due to high costs.

According to NACOC, addiction often robs individuals of self-control, making it difficult for them to free themselves without structured support. “Addicted persons require professional help to break free from their bondage, not neglect or rejection,” the official noted.

Mr. Opoku clarified that rehabilitation facilities are not meant solely for drug addicts but also for persons with mental health conditions. He noted that the existing public facilities, including the Ankaful psychiatric Hospital, Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Pantang Hospital, and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital’s addiction unit, are overstretched and insufficient to meet current demand.

NACOC admitted that the limited number of facilities has compelled authorities to rely heavily on private rehabilitation centres, providing them with training and guidance. The Commission also revealed that it is currently engaging the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to properly authenticate and license rehabilitation facilities nationwide.

However, NACOC acknowledged that operating and accessing private rehabilitation centres remains difficult due to high operational and treatment costs. In addition, some facilities have been described as substandard, with undertrained personnel.

To address this, the Ag. Dir. says, the commission is negotiating partnerships to help improve standards and service delivery.

Beyond infrastructure and cost, stigma remains a major barrier. NACOC observed that many families and victims are unable to access rehabilitation services because of societal stigmatization, which discourages people from seeking help.

He stressed the importance of equipping rehabilitated persons with employable skills after treatment to prevent relapse and ensure successful reintegration into society.

Further more, he appealed to all stakeholders ,families, communities, institutions, and civil society organizations—to reach out to the Commission whenever the need arises.

“The ultimate goal is to prevent the loss of valuable human resources to drug addiction and related mental health challenges,” Mr. Opoku emphasized.