UNODC Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Section (PTRS), in collaboration with the WHO, International Experts from Australia and Italy, the Colombo Plan, UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (ROSEAP) and field offices in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam), organized UNODC web seminar entitled “Drug Dependence Treatment, Care and Rehabilitation Support for People, Families, and Communities affected by Drug Use Disorders in the COVID19 Crisis in Southeast Asia” on 12 June 2020. The webinar was organized building on UNODC’s technical guidance document “UNODC Suggestions about Treatment, Care and Rehabilitation of People with Drug Use Disorders in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic”. Its major objectives included: 1) share useful guidance, information, materials in provision of drug treatment and rehabilitation services in the COVID19 crisis; 2) Discuss challenges on the ground among regional and national experts with support from international experts; and 3) Share good practices in adapting to COVID19 situation and preparedness. Overall, 72 policymakers and drug treatment experts from 8 Southeast Asian countries, such as Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, presented in this webinar.

The webinar was opened together by Ms. Giovanna Campello, Chief of PTRS UNODC Vienna, Ms. Karen Peters, Programme Officer UNODC ROSEAP, Dr. Carrina Ferreira-Borges, Programme Manager, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Ms. Nathalie Panabokke, Deputy Director, Drug Advisory Programme of the Colombo Plan. As Keynote presentations, Ms. Anja Busse, Programme Officer PTRS, provided an overview of the UNODC’s suggestions for treatment, Care and Rehabilitation; Dr. Carina Ferreira-Borges, WHO European Office, briefed the WHO interim guidance document “Preparedness, Prevention and Control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention”; Dr. Nicolas Clark (Australia), Director of Victoria medically supervised injecting center and Dr. Giuseppe Carra (Italy), Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Milano Bicocca shared their practices and lessons learned in their clinical service provision from their frontline drug treatment experiences in the COVID-19 context. After these presentations, the participants exchanged ideas and discussed challenges to ensure the provision of drug treatment and rehabilitation services in this challenging time. The webinar concluded with the commitment to further collaboration and mutual support among participants.

UNODC Mentor initiated webinar held on 24 June 2020 in Uzbekistan. The purpose of the webinar was to create a forum for national experts to share valuable international experience on how to ensure the continuity and sustainability of drug dependence treatment, HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for people who use drugs and how to implement evidence-based policies that ensure access to effective drug dependence treatment and HIV programmes for people who use drugs.

In his presentation Mentor outlined increasing challenges for treatment and care during COVID-19, UNODC suggestions about treatment, care and rehabilitation of people with drug use disorders in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, monitoring COVID-19 impact and ensuring continuum of treatment  services during COVID-19. 

Second presentation made by Mr. Andrey Mokiy, Leading Specialist of the National Information-Analytical Center on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministries of the Republic of Uzbekistan was devoted to the dynamics of the drug situation in the West Europe and Central Asia as well as  development of drug sells through Internet in the region during COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants also discussed experience of adaptation of the forms and methods of providing drug dependence treatment and care services to the new conditions. Results of providing remote counselling, initiated by the team of national UTC trainers, were presented.

A total of 50 health care providers and representatives of NGOs involved in drug dependence treatment, HIV prevention, care and support services to people who use drugs were reported to attend the webinar and they expressed high interest to continue the work of the forum.

The activity was conducted within the framework of the UNODC global project GLOJ71: “Treating drug dependence and its health consequences: Treatnet II”