The UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia supported a training of trainers (ToT) on the Course 11 “Enhancing Motivational Interviewing Skills”. This course is part of the Advanced Level of the Universal Treatment Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders (UTC training package) for national trainers from Kyrgyzstan which took place in person in Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan on 13-17 September 2021. This training was organized within the framework of UNODC global project GLOJ71 “Treating drug dependence and its health consequences: Treatnet” in collaboration with Sub-programme 3: Drug prevention...

The VNGOC together with the UNODC Civil Society Unit will be holding two webinars to present and discuss the World Drug Report 2021, which will be launched on 25th June.
 
VNGOC are looking for civil society speakers wishing to present at these webinars, on how they use the data compiled in the World Drug Report each year and how these data impact their work. 

• The first webinar will be held on 13th July 2021 and will focus on Asia, Oceania and Europe.
• The second webinar will be held on 15th July 2021 and will focus on Africa and the Americas. 

Each webinar will comprise welcome remarks...

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia supported regional training of trainers (ToT) on Course 11  “Enhancing Motivational Interviewing Skills”. This course is part of the Advanced Level of the Universal Treatment Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders (UTC training package) for national trainers from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan which took place offline in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 24-28 May 2021.

16 members of national teams of trainers from Tajikistan (5) and Uzbekistan (11) took part in the training. The main objectives of this training were to provide a comprehensive understanding of the...

On April 27, 2021, UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia held a training seminar for specialists of the republican and regional levels responsible for drug dependence treatment and HIV prevention services in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The main goal of the national training was to increase the capacity of government and non-government organizations that implement HIV and HCV prevention programs to provide effective evidence-based services for people who use new psychoactive substances (NPS) and stimulants.

At the opening of the workshop Mr. Borikhan Shaumarov, UNODC Programme Coordinator...

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia together with the UNODC Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section (PTRS), hosted a training for practitioners on "Treatnet Family" for youth with drug use disorders including those in contact or at risk of contact with the criminal justice system. The event was held in a hybrid format in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan from 12-16 April 2021 and 27 local service providers working with youth and their families from drug treatment centres, juvenile facilities, and NGOs, participated. The training aimed to prepare social service providers to pilot community...

The Nationwide Competition “Expert on the Development of Life and Family Skills” was organized online in January-April 2021 by the Ministry of Public Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan jointly with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in three stages via @psyforum telegram channel.

The competition was aimed at disseminating best practices, as well as improving the skills of psychologists and teachers in the public education system in achieving psychological resilience in schools and families by teaching young people life skills, healthy lifestyles, positive...

4 March 2021, Online Consultation on initiation of the Survey in Kazakhstan on High-Risk Drug Use took place via Zoom Teleconference Platform.

More than 25 representatives of governmental, non-governmental stakeholders in the Republic of Kazakhstan and international organizations, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior, Republican Mental Health Centre, Kazakh National Centre of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases, Law Enforcement Academy of the General Prosecutor’s Office, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and...

New psychoactive substances (NPS) are spreading at an unprecedented rate and are becoming a serious health threat and a real problem in drug policy in Central Asian countries. Little is known about the negative impact of NPS on human health and the harm they cause to society, and this significantly complicates prevention and treatment. To effectively counter this new problem, it is necessary to ensure constant monitoring of the drug situation, exchange of information and raise awareness of the risks.

In order to consider the possibility of multisectoral partnerships between government...

The Regional Mission in Central Asia of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) together with the Ministry of Public Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan launched an online competition "Expert on the Development of Family and Life Skills."

The main purpose of the competition is to disseminate best practices, as well as to improve the skills of psychologists and educators in the public education system, especially classroom leaders, in achieving psychological stability in school and family by teaching young people life skills, healthy lifestyles, positive relationships between parents...

Online regional training for trainers (ToT) on Course 10 “Managing Medication-Assisted Treatment Programs” (30 November – 3 December 2020) of the Advanced Level of the Universal Treatment Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders (UTC training package) launched on 30 November 2020.

The main purpose of the training series is to prepare the team of national trainers who will be able to independently train professionals, working in the field of drug dependence treatment and prevention in their own countries in the future. The training was conducted by Dr. Yuriy Rossinskiy (Kazakhstan) and Dr...

As covid-19 becomes the "new reality" and the number of positive cases, although not as high as the last, we must remain vigilant, especially when it comes to those who are most vulnerable to possible negative consequences.

The statement we can hear on any flight on an airplane is: "In case of danger, first put the mask on your own, then put it on the child." The purpose of this statement is that without protecting yourself in the first place, you will not be able to help those who need it most. The same principle applies to drafting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those whose job it is to...

As COVID-19 becomes a “new norm” and the number of positive cases is not as high as it used to be, we still need to stay alert especially when it comes to those who are the most vulnerable to the possible negative consequences.

The statement that we can hear during any airplane flight is “In case of emergency, put on the mask on YOURSELF first, and then put it on your child.” The meaning of this instruction is that without protecting yourself first, you might not be able to help those who need it most. The same principle applies to the frontline staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those...

Pandemics and health emergencies like the current COVID-10 outbreak, can cost many lives and pose additional risks to the global economy and overall security and stability. Ensuring continued access to health care during a pandemic, including services for people who use drugs and treatment of drug use disorders, are key not only to protect the health of populations, but also key to security and stability.

Drug use disorders are frequently accompanied by somatic conditions such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and/or C and tuberculosis, lung or cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer and injuries and...