The Ghana Education Service in Wa in the Upper West Region wants health professionals to intervene to end the abuse of a drug, ‘tramadol’, among pupils of basic schools in the municipality.
Municipal Education Director, Madam Hajia Hamidu Fusata, who made the call said pupils of a particular basic school in the municipality, which she declined to name, have been abusing drugs with the aim of getting vitality.
According to her, some people in the communities believe abusing the ‘tramadol’ drug, which is popularly referred to by the people as ‘farm to buy a motorbike’, make them do more work without getting tired.
Tramadol is an opiate painkiller found to be more addictive.
The GES fears if the pupils involved are not given guidance and counseling to reverse the trend, it could spread to other schools.
Madam Fusata is thus calling on health professionals to support them identify the adverse effects of the tramadol drug.
This was during a handing over ceremony of some 3,000 pair of sandals at Kperisi in the Wa municipality of the upper West Region.
The sandals were donated by “Challenging Heights” a Non Governmental Organization based in Winneba in the Central Region.
It is to help retain pupils in school, especially those whose parents cannot afford them sandals for use. The sandals will benefit all pupils from kindergarten to JHS across all schools in the Kperisi electoral area.
The medical superintendent of the Upper West Regional Hospital, Dr Barnabas Gandau urged the pupils to stop taking the tramadol drug or any form of drugs without a doctor’s prescription.
He encouraged them to take their studies serious.
Dr Gandau also observed the rate of snakes bites involving children was becoming a worry noting about 6 children have been admitted at the Region Hospital due to snake bites and cautioned the pupils to be careful.
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