He made these remarks on over the weekend during an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging people, especially the youth, to protect their health. The event took place at Maison des Jeunes in Kimisagara.
Substances commonly used by young people include tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs, which have severe consequences on their well-being.
A study conducted by the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) revealed that mental health among Rwandan youth is at risk, with 25% of them consuming drugs. A significant number of these individuals try different substances every month.
Dr. Yvan Butera emphasized that young people should make wise choices and avoid actions that could damage their health, such as drug abuse.
'Today, we are focusing on three key areas: understanding reproductive health to help individuals take care of their well-being, mental health education, and avoiding substances that harm the body, particularly drugs,' he stated.
Liz Agbor-Tabi, an executive at Global Citizen, highlighted their commitment to promoting better health outcomes.
'Bringing healthcare services to those who need them most helps eliminate barriers and transforms lives. We provide opportunities for young people to make informed decisions about their health, both in the short and long term,' she said.
During the event, young people received free health screenings for diseases such as breast cancer and HIV/AIDS. Women and youth were also offered reproductive health services, blood pressure and diabetes checks, among others.
Additionally, the youth were educated on reproductive health, proper condom use, and ways to prevent sexually transmitted infections.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that young people are among the highest consumers of drugs.
A report by the judiciary for the 2023/2024 period revealed that drug-related offenses, including illegal drug use and trafficking, accounted for 5,413 court cases.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/youth-cautioned-against-use-of-harmful-substances
