WHO, PAHO, CICAD/OAS, COPOLAD, EMCDDA, UNODC and NIL joining efforts to improve health services for problematic drug users in the CELAC countries

The need for universal care services tailored to the different types of problematic drug users requires the development of strategies, programmes and national frameworks adequate to ensure the development and availability of services according to quality and evidence-based criteria, as part of a public policy based upon Public Health and Human Rights principles.

Two relevant projects are currently taking place in the Americas: The International standards for the treatment of drug use disorders, jointly developed by UNODC and WHO, and the project on Quality and evidence-based criteria in the implementation of drug demand reduction programs, developed within the framework of the COPOLAD program, which is counting with the support of CICAD-OAS and PAHO/WHO as multilateral collaborating agencies. Within this framework, all institutions involved in those projects are working to coordinate efforts, in order to facilitate and jointly support countries of the region, as well as non-governmental organizations, in the tasks of implementing integrated and sustainable services. To explore the best feasible ways for strengthening this coordination, COPOLAD along with CICAD/OAS, EMCDDA, PAHO, UNODC, WHO, Colombo Plan and US Bureau INL, are holding this meeting at the PAHO Headquarters in Washington DC. The meeting facilitates the definition of further synergies related to the implementation of the quality standards, as well as the exchange of information on other relevant developments in this field.