DAKAR AUGUST 05, 2016 (CISA) – Sections of Christians and Muslims in Senegal have come together to create awareness on the risks of counterfeit drugs for sale in the country.
The programme is led by Fr Bernard Diouf, head of health pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Dakar, and El Hadj Oumar Diène, Secretary General of the Imams and Ulemas of Senegal.
“The poor in particular resort to the black market to buy cheap drugs, often ineffective or even harmful, causing health hazards. No to street drugs,” Fides quoted Fr Diouf as saying August 3.
He said that the program was aimed to convince the faithful of both religions to change behaviour towards the purchase of illegal drugs.
“We will send the message to the imams, so that they address the issue of street drugs in their sermons. We are also committed to addressing the problem in our different Muslim religious programs on the radio as on television,” said Imam Oumar Diène.
The interfaith initiative is part of the national campaign launched by the Senegalese government against “street drugs” several weeks ago.
The campaign is organized by the Ministry of Health and Social Action, with the technical support of the World Health Organization and the European Union, in order to eradicate the illicit market of drugs in Senegal.
The campaign started on July 24 and will end on August 31, it aims to inform the population to buy generic drugs in regular pharmacies, less expensive, instead of “street drugs.”
