ECOWAS High-Level Experts Set to Validate 2024 Drug Use Report Across West Africa.
By Raymond Enoch
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission will convene a high-level technical workshop from May 28 to 30, 2025, at its headquarters in Abuja to validate the 2024 Annual Report of the West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU).
Established in 2013, WENDU serves as a vital regional mechanism for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data on drug use and related issues across ECOWAS Member States. The network is instrumental in equipping policymakers with the information needed to address the social, health, and economic consequences of drug use.
The upcoming validation workshop will bring together national focal points, technical experts, and institutional stakeholders to rigorously review and authenticate the data presented in the 2024 report. Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of this information is crucial for formulating effective, evidence-based drug policies and intervention strategies.
The 2024 WENDU report will provide a comprehensive overview of drug use trends in the region, including patterns of consumption, treatment admissions, and law enforcement activities. It will also highlight emerging challenges and propose strategic recommendations to enhance national and regional responses.
This initiative reaffirms ECOWAS’s unwavering commitment to data-driven policymaking and regional collaboration in addressing the growing public health and security threats posed by drug use across West Africa.
