Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

You think they know, but they have no idea. Senior local health officials have admitted that prescription drug abuse is a growing problem in Jamaica, but they are clueless as to how huge the problem is. Neither the Ministry of Health nor its statutory agency, the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), has the current estimates on the number of Jamaicans abusing prescription drugs.

No national study has been done on the subject for some eight years. "I can't tell you in 2009 what the figure is, but I can tell you on a parish by parish level what we are seeing, and how that relates to the national picture," said Dr Ellen Campbell-Grizzle, director of information and research at the NCDA.

Seeking funding

Dr Campbell-Grizzle told The Sunday Gleaner that the prevention and treatment agency was willing to commission a study, but funds were not available. "We would like to do another national household study ... . we have written up proposals, but the funding is just not available."

Dr Sheila Campbell-Forrester, chief medical officer (CMO) in the Ministry of Health, also told The Sunday Gleaner that the ministry was not in a position to say to what extent prescriptions drugs were being abused in Jamaica.

The CMO said the health authority's efforts were handicapped by financial constraints, as the required study would cost millions. She could not say when the next national survey would be done.

In the absence of a national survey, the abuse of prescription drugs could be festering, and the health ministry and the NCDA would be unaware and unable to respond appropriately. "The bottom line is to know whether you have a problem or not," Dr Campbell-Forrester said.

Monitoring the abuse

However, she pointed out that from time to time, the drug inspection division of the ministry had reported the abuse of prescriptions.

Dr Campbell-Forrester explained that monitoring the abuse of over-the-counter drugs bordered on the impossible because of the widespread availability of such drugs, and no established monitoring mechanisms.

Dr Campbell-Forrester added that the health authorities largely depended on "self-reporting" when it came to drugs purchased over the counter. The CMO was not aware of any deaths, in recent history, being attributed to prescription-drug overdose.

Dr Campbell-Grizzle concluded that prescription drugs were two-edged swords. "They are safe and help to reduce pain and suffering, but if not taken carefully, you can end up with addiction problems and side effects."

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com