Topic:
Country: Ghana
Delegate Name: Caterina DaSilva
Honorable chairs and fellow delegates, Ghana recognizes the devastating impact the opioid crisis has had on communities around the world. Opioids and illicit opioids that include possible traces of heroin or fentanyl risks lives across the nation. The spread of this uprise comes down to how poverty and a non–enforced drinking age in Ghana as well as inadequate substance abuse education in schools towards youth.While Ghana is not currently facing the same level of opioid addiction and overdoses as some other countries, Ghana acknowledges that no nation is immune to the risks and potential consequences of opioid abuse. Ghana recognizes that the opioid crisis is a global issue that requires a global response.
As a nation, Ghana is committed to taking a proactive stance on this issue. We are working to raise awareness of the risks associated with opioid use and abuse, and to promote non-opioid alternatives for pain management. We are also working to strengthen our drug enforcement agencies and to crack down on illegal trafficking of opioids.We support initiatives such as the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which provides technical assistance to countries in developing and implementing drug control policies and strategies. In addition, Ghana is committed to working with pharmaceutical companies to ensure that opioids are prescribed and distributed responsibly. We recognize that the overprescription of opioids has contributed to the crisis, and we believe that it is important for governments and the private sector to work together to develop guidelines for responsible prescribing and distribution of opioids. Ghana believes that the provision of effective treatment and care services, including access to medication-assisted treatment, is essential in addressing the opioid crisis. Ghana recognizes that access to such services can be limited in low-income communities and will work to ensure that all communities have access to the necessary resources. All in all, Ghana is committed to collaborating with other nations on solving this epidemic that endangers our future youth and country.
