title: A descriptive survey of types, spread and characteristics of substance abuse treatment centers in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and the 8th most populous in the world with a population of over 154 million, does not have current data on substance abuse treatment demand and treatment facilities; however, the country has the highest one-year prevalence rate of Cannabis use (14.3%) in Africa and ranks third in Africa with respect to the one-year prevalence rate of cocaine (0.7%) and Opioids (0.7%) use. This study aimed to determine the types, spread and characteristics of the substance abuse treatment centers in Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a cross sectional survey of substance abuse treatment centers in Nigeria. Thirty-one units were invited and participated in filling an online questionnaire, adapted from the European Treatment Unit/Program Form (June 1997 version).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the units completed the online questionnaire. A large proportion (48%) was located in the South-West geopolitical zone of the country. Most (58%) were run by Non-Governmental Organizations. Half of them performed internal or external evaluation of treatment process or outcome. There were a total of 1043 for all categories of paid and volunteer staff, with an average of 33 staff per unit. Most of the funding came from charitable donations (30%). No unit provided drug substitution/maintenance therapy. The units had a total residential capacity of 566 beds. New client admissions in the past one year totalled 765 (mean = 48, median = 26.5, min = 0, max = 147) and 2478 clients received services in the non-residential units in the past year. No unit provided syringe exchange services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study revealed a dearth of substance abuse treatment units (and of funds for the available ones) in a country with a large population size and one of the highest prevalence rates of substance abuse in Africa. The available units were not networked and lacked a directory or an evaluation framework. To provide an environment for effective monitoring, funding and continuous quality improvement, the units need to be organized into a sustainable network.
authors.affiliation: Drug Addiction Treatment, Education and Research Unit, Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, PMB 2002, Abeokuta, Ogun state, Nigeria. oniffpo@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Peter O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Onifade
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Somoye
authors.forename: Olorunfemi O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Ogunwobi
authors.forename: Adegboyega
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogunwale
authors.forename: Akinwande O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Akinhanmi
authors.forename: Taiwo A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Adamson
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005378:Financial Support; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D010343:Patient Admission; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*