Integrated In-Patient Rehabilitation and Community Outreach for Substance Use Disorders in a Resource-Limited Post-Conflict Setting: Experience from Liberia

Substance use disorders (SUDs) represent an increasing public health challenge in Liberia, particularly among vulnerable youth and individuals affected by trauma, poverty, and social instability. The National Rehabilitation Center for Drug and War-Affected Persons in Monrovia provides structured in-patient treatment and recovery services for individuals experiencing substance dependence and related health conditions.

The center currently accommodates approximately 250 clients (180 males and 70 females) through a therapeutic community model that integrates nursing care, psychosocial counseling, peer-support recovery activities, structured daily routines, and life-skills development aimed at long-term reintegration. The most commonly reported substances among clients include kush, tramadol, crack cocaine, marijuana, tobacco, cocaine, alcohol, promethazine, and alcohol-based solutions.

In addition to substance dependence, many clients present with co-occurring medical conditions including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Typhoid fever, and Malaria, requiring integrated medical and psychosocial care. Beyond facility-based treatment, outreach initiatives are conducted in high-risk environments such as street communities, ghettos, and informal settlements to identify individuals needing treatment and encourage rehabilitation engagement.

Program observations indicate that structured rehabilitation environments combined with community outreach and peer-support approaches can significantly improve treatment engagement, behavioral stability, and motivation for recovery. This presentation will share practical insights from implementing addiction treatment in a resource-limited setting and highlight strategies that may inform rehabilitation programs in similar contexts globally.

Keywords: Substance Use Disorder, Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Community, Recovery, Public Health, Liberia