LAHORE: Terming the epidemic of drug users in Pakistan as alarmingly high, the speakers at a workshop here on Thursday called for strengthening the drug treatment services both in terms of quality of drug treatment and coverage of treatment services.

The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C), Islamabad, organized an ‘Awareness Workshop on Drug Use and HIV’. The event was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Narcotics Control (MONC), UNODC, UNDP, UNAIDS and WHO in a bid to raise awareness among journalists on drug abuse, HIV AIDS, HIV prevention among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID), harm reduction and Opioid Agonist Maintenance Treatment (OAMT).

The participants were informed that the World Health Organization and UNODC consider drug dependence a chronically relapsing health disorder which often co-occurs with other mental and physical conditions. Drug dependence is not a failure of will or strength of character but a medical condition that could affect anyone. Just like any other chronic health condition, such as hypertension or diabetes, the treatment of drug dependence requires a health-oriented response. Among pharmacological approaches, WHO and UNODC recommend countries to introduce and expand access to Opioid Agonist Maintenance Treatment (OAMT) for people with opioid dependence. OAMT involves the use of a safe prescribed medicine, such as buprenorphine under medical supervision.

The participants were also informed that drug use has social and economic impacts on families, society and country and the financial situation of the families of the drug users has an impact on family nutrition and education. The family of the drug user is socially isolated because of the stigma attached to drug use. It was also shared that increased crime is also associated with drug use. There is a high vulnerability of children to drug use due to the presence of drug use in the family. Drug use increases the burden on health services, not only related to their drug treatment but also other health problems including Hepatitis B and C and HIV. The drug problem requires a comprehensive multi-sectoral response from various departments/sectors.

The participants were also informed that the Ministry of NHSR&C, MONC and UNODC have developed ‘Drug treatment protocols’ and ‘Drug treatment guidelines’ for Pakistan. Risk behaviours (including sharing syringes and sexual risk behaviours) of drug users increase their vulnerability to HIV.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023