In Africa, it has been very difficult to get pain medication. Even those suffering with the most excruciating pain are given nothing but over-the-counter pain medications. And unlike most peoples’ presumptions, it has nothing to do with a shortage or the price of the medicine; the lack of pain killers is due to a deep-rooted fear. During conflicts in Africa, children were turned into soldiers and hardened with mind-altering drugs. So now, there is a great fear that this could happen again. And so, Africa has to choose: the pain of its people, or the safetly of its people.
There are doctors and advocates trying to convince the people of Africa that used correctly, the drugs are not so dangerous. However, only time will tell if Africa can get the help it needs to stop the suffering.
I had no idea that mind-altering drugs had been used on children to turn them into soldiers. I was aware that they would take them at a young age and brain wash them, but I did not realize they would use drugs as well. That is awful. Not only have they permananently ruined lives by turning children into soldiers, but now they’ve frightened people into not getting the help they would need to relieve their pain. It’s an endless cycle.