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Funded by the European Union

Published by:

Implemented by a Consortium from the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Poland and Germany.

Central Asia Drug Action Programme(CADAP Phase 6)

Issue 10October-December 2017

EU Special Representative for Central Asia participated in the handover ceremony of equipment to a narcological clinic in Kulyab, Tajikistan

On 12 October, CADAP handed over specialized medical equipment (medical beds, laryngoscopes, defibrillator, patient monitors, oxygen concentrator, biochemical semiautomatic analyser and other) to the regional narcological centre in Kulyab City.

EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Ambassador Peter Burian took part in the handover ceremony. “We hope that with the provision of the equipment, the assortment and quality of the service provided for the treatment of drug dependence and emergency care to drug users will be significantly expanded,” he said.

Dr. Mahmadrahim Malahov, Director of the Republican Clinical Centre of Narcology and other representatives of the Ministry of Healthcare from the region and local departments of health (Kulyab District, Khatlon Province) were also present. They thanked the European Union for providing such essential medical equipment for the regional narcological clinic.

“We are sure that implementation of joint projects in key drug policy directions will increase effectiveness of measures undertaken in reducing drug supply and drug demand and will help us to decrease threats of drug use,” told Dr Malahov.

The medical equipment will be used at the emergency department. It renders specialised narcological help to drug users, such as with overdoses and other drug-related conditions.

CADAP purchased the medical equipment based on an official request from the Republican Clinical Centre of

Narcology within its Treatment Component, implemented by the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. The cost of the provided equipment is 41000 Euro.

Delegations from Central Asia participated in the EU-Central Asia Dialogue on Drugs in Brussels

CADAP national partners from the Ministries of Interior, Ministries of Health and Ministries of Foreign Affairs representing five Central Asian countries took part in the EU-Central Asia Dialogue on Drugs at the Council of the European Union in Brussels on 12 October.

The participants of the meeting discussed the regional cooperation, the latest developments of drug policy and drug situation in the EU and Central Asia and reviewed the implementation of the EU-Central Asia Drug Action Plan 2014-2020. The participants from Central Asia made their input to the discussion about drug demand and drug supply reduction.

A few days earlier, on 9-11 October, the delegations from Central Asia were invited to Trimbos Institute in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. They got acquainted with the current developments and discussions about the Dutch and European as well as international drug policies. They learned more about synthetic drugs and the EU supply and demand reduction policies. CADAP partners from Central Asia also provided short reflections on the Drug Assessment Reports published earlier by CADAP, and updated the information on recent developments in their countries. They also discussed how CADAP can provide assistance to Central Asia in drug policy making.

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National partners finalise National Report on Drug Situation in Tajikistan

A three-day workshop was conducted by the European experts on 18-20 October for Tajik national specialists on the revision and finalisation of two main national documents – the 2017 National Report on Drug Situation (2016 data) and the Country Situation Summary (CSS) on the drug situation.

The National Report is the main report produced by the National Centre for Monitoring and Prevention of Drug Abuse (the National Focal Point – NFP) in Tajikistan on a yearly basis. It is of particular importance that NFP provides a yearly update of the national drugs situation, both for national and for international purposes.

During the workshop, the participants revised and finalised the Country Situation Summary (CSS) on the drug situation and 2017 National Report on Drug Situation in Tajikistan (2016 data).

The national partners from Drug Control Agency, National Centre for Monitoring and Prevention of Drug Use, Republican Clinical Centre of Narcology, Republican AIDS Centre, Ministry of Education and Sciences, Ministry of Justice (main department of the criminal execution), Ministry of Internal Affairs, Customs Committee and NGOs took part in the workshop.

Furthermore, the research company Z-Analytic presented the ongoing study on the drug use amongst the general population and the qualitative study on the drug use during the workshop.

Representatives of the EU Delegations in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan – National Coordinating Unit of the European Commission’s Technical Assistance Programme, EU member states’ embassies in Uzbekistan and CADAP 6 team took part in the meeting to agree on future perspectives and planned joint efforts.

During the current implementation of CADAP in Uzbekistan, CADAP handed over two sets of haematology analyzers for the Tashkent City Narcological Dispensary and Bukhara Regional Narcological Dispensary in the amount of 24000 Euro. National trainings addressed to parents of schoolchildren under the prevention component, in psychosocial consultation and psychotherapeutic treatment of drug users, in treatment of disorders associated with psychoactive substances abuse and other workshops were conducted in Uzbekistan during 2017. These trainings were implemented by the EU experts for local medical staff, teachers, parents, experts in drug data collection and press services’ staff.

CADAP discussed work plans with national partners in Uzbekistan

During the second National Steering Committee meeting arranged on 27 October by CADAP, a short overview of the current programme implementation in Uzbekistan in 2016-2017 and a plan of activities for 2018 were presented and discussed with CADAP national partners.

The national partners from National Centre on Drug Control, Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), State Department for Execution of Sentences under the MIA, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Education, Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, Customs Committee, AIDS Centre, and NGOs took part in discussions.

National workshop on drugs monitoring in Uzbekistan

CADAP arranged the fourth national workshop on Component 2, National Drug Observatories, on 30-31 October in Tashkent for national experts in drug data collection.

The experts involved in the implementation of Component 2 updated participants on the procurement of STATA software, which will be installed at Tashkent Institute of Advanced Medical Education and the National Centre on Drug Control (NCDC). One representative from each aforementioned state agency was handed over the software. The national experts familiarised participants with the new trends in drug situation and it’s monitoring in Uzbekistan and made a presentation of the draft national reports on 2016 data.

Moreover, the EU experts updated the participants on the new trends in drug situation in Europe. As a result of the survey conducted in 2016, it was found that there are 160 online stores selling drugs and psychoactive spices in European countries. The participants discussed the issue of drug users with risky behavior, which was followed by a test on risky behavior models among drug users, offered by the narcology department of the Tashkent Institute of Advanced Medical Education. Moreover, the EU experts suggested conducting a qualitative analysis of models on

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Central Asia Drug Action Programme discussed work plans with national partners in Kyrgyzstan

During the second National Steering Committee meeting arranged on 16 November by CADAP, a short overview of the current programme implementation in Kyrgyzstan in 2016-2017 and plan of activities for 2018 were presented and discussed with CADAP national partners.

The national partners from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and State Service for Execution of Punishments took part in the discussions.

Representatives of the EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan, Embassy of Germany and CADAP 6 team participated in the meeting. The next steps in the programme implementation in Kyrgyzstan were discussed and agreements were reached with the state agencies present at the meeting.

During the current implementation of CADAP in Kyrgyzstan, CADAP is constructing the first “Clean Zone” for female convicts at the colony # 2. National trainings addressed to parents of schoolchildren were conducted under the Prevention component. Overall 750 teachers, 65 instructors and 11000 parents were trained in drug prevention in Kyrgyzstan. Trainings in psychosocial consultation and psychotherapeutic treatment of drug users, treatment of disorders associated with psychoactive substances abuse and other workshops were conducted in Kyrgyzstan during 2017. These trainings were conducted by the EU experts for local medical staff, teachers, parents, experts in drug data collection and press services’ staff.

risky behavior, which would enable them to reveal the deep causes of behavior patterns.

At the end of the workshop, the participants were awarded with certificates of attendance.

National partners take part in a study visit to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

CADAP’s Prevention component organised a study visit to Lisbon, Portugal, on 3-7 December 2017 for local experts from all five Central Asian countries involved in the implementation of the prevention programmes.

A seminar with the working group on Prevention Component held in Tashkent

A meeting with representatives of the working group on the Prevention component was organised on 1-3 November. The working group was created within the framework of the national seminar “Screening tools development to identify youth at risk” in January 2017 under CADAP Prevention Component.

The participants, national representatives of ministries and agencies, who are integrated into the working group, reviewed and discussed the issues, like results of additional steps to validate a screening test, how to use the screening test in practice in Uzbekistan, connection between screening test results and prevention measures, what kind of intervention should be offered, interventions for young people identified by the screening test and others.

The seminar was held in a discussion format where presentations and work in small groups were arranged. Each questionnaire on “Problem-oriented screening test for teenagers” was thoroughly reviewed. Two options of screening tests (in Russian and Uzbek languages) were adapted to local conditions.

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The aims of the study visit focused on two areas: to learn from the EU concept and practical work on prevention of drugs and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and to learn from the EMCDDA experience in information dissemination on the problems of drugs and NPS to different audiences.

During this visit, the delegation also had an opportunity to learn about evidence-based prevention programmes, concepts and examples, and quality standards in the prevention work implemented by EMCDDA. In information dissemination, they were exposed to EMCDDA information dissemination policy, audio-visual products, media relations and web products.

On 7 December, the Central Asian delegation visited the General Directorate for Intervention on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (SICAD) under the Ministry of Health of Portugal. Here, issues of harm reduction work related to dependencies in Portugal were discussed.

The Central Asian delegation was very interested in getting to know the Portuguese best practice application of the Decriminalization Law and the work of the Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Abuse. They asked many questions to SICAD representatives in order to learn from the Portuguese unique experience in decriminalizing drug use. In 2000, Portugal enacted one of the most extensive drug law reforms in the world when it decriminalized low-level possession and use of illicit drugs. According to this Law, the possession of illicit substances continues to be prohibited; however, the use

of quantities considered necessary for the average individual consumption is not a crime.

The Decriminalization Law is based on the assumption that a drug user is a citizen who needs support in treatment and social protection.

Participants asked many questions about the results of the Portuguese experience, which proves efficiency of the drug decriminalization together with investments in treatment and harm reduction services to significantly improve public safety and health. Representatives of SICAD also shared best examples of the prevention programmes they implement among youngsters, which was really appreciated by the participants of the study visit who were impressed and hopefully would use this valuable experience in their work.

EMCDDA is an EU agency located in Lisbon, Portugal. Established in 1993, EMCDDA strives to be a “reference point” on drug usage for the European Union’s member states, and to deliver “factual, objective, reliable and comparable information” about drug use, drug addiction and related health complications. Though the EMCDDA primarily serves Europe, it also works with other partners, scientists and policy-makers around the world.

The mission of General Directorate for Intervention on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (SICAD) is to promote the reduction of use of psychoactive substances, the prevention of addictive behaviours and the decrease of dependencies.

Published by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbHRegistered Offices Bonn and Eschborn, Germany

Central Asia Drug Action Programme (CADAP) 96-6 Toktogul str., Bishkek, Kyrgyz RepublicErnest Robello, Project Leaderernest.robello@giz.de T.: +996 312 90 67 43www.giz.dewww.cadap-eu.org

Author: Asel SekimovaPhotos: Archive GIZ/CADAPDecember 2017

CADAP is funded by the European Union

Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic21 Erkindik Boulevard, Business Centre Orion, 5th floorBishkek 720040 Kyrgyz RepublicT.: +996 312 26 10 00Website: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/kyrgyzstan Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eudelkg

The content of this publication does not reflect the official opinion of the European Union.