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...

Although COVID-19 usually occurs easily and most people recover quickly, coronavirus can cause very serious complications for certain categories of people, including the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or chronic diseases. Ensuring continued access to health care during a pandemic, including services for people using drugs and the treatment of drug-related disorders, is essential not only for public health, but also a key element in security and stability.

Every day, Kyrgyzstan reports an increasing number of people infected with COVID-19. This increase has been observed...

Пандемия, и связанные с ней ограничения, принесли перемены в жизни практически каждого жителя планеты. Однако, немногие задумываются о том, как изменилась жизнь лиц с расстройствами, вызванными употреблением наркотиков, являющихся одними из самых уязвимых и нуждающихся в постоянной помощи. С одной стороны, закрытие границ во время карантина, привело к резкому сокращению доступа к наркотическим веществам; с другой стороны, стала распространенной проблема потери дохода, к тому же, многие виды зависимости сопровождаются различными заболеваниями и слабым иммунитетом, что делает лиц с зависимостью...

La pandemia de COVID-19 y las restricciones asociadas a ella han cambiado la vida de las personas en casi todos los países. Sin embargo, muy pocos se dan cuenta de cómo ha cambiado la vida de las personas con trastornos por consumo de drogas, que se encuentran entre las más vulnerables y necesitan atención continua. Por un lado, el cierre de fronteras durante la cuarentena ha provocado una drástica reducción del acceso a los estupefacientes. Por otro lado, la pérdida de ingresos se ha convertido en un problema para las personas con muchas formas de dependencia acompañadas de diversas...

A Regional three-day training for trainers (ToT) on Course 9 “Advanced Pharmacology and Substance Use Disorders” of the Advanced Level of the Universal Treatment Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders (UTC training package) was launched via online video conference platform on 16 November 2020.

The main purpose of the training was to prepare the team of national trainers who in the future will be able to independently train professionals, working in the field of drug dependence treatment and prevention. The training was conducted by highly qualified Regional Master Trainers of the...

El 12 de octubre de 2020 comenzó una capacitación regional en línea de cinco días de duración para mejorar las habilidades de los evaluadores sobre las herramientas de la UNODC y la OMS para garantizar la calidad del tratamiento de la drogodependencia. El objetivo de la capacitación es fortalecer el apoyo institucional para garantizar la aplicación satisfactoria del Marco de Garantía de Calidad de la ONUDD/OMS para los Servicios de Tratamiento de la Drogodependencia en Asia Central y promover un enfoque científico de la calidad de los servicios de tratamiento y atención de la drogodependencia...

Five-day online regional refresher training for assessors on UNODC-WHO quality assurance (QA) tools for drug dependency treatment launched on 12 October 2020. The purpose of the training is to consolidate the institutional support to ensure the successful implementation of the UNODC-WHO QA mechanism of drug treatment services in Central Asia and promote the scientific understanding of quality drug use disorder treatment and care services.

For the five days, the participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will have a unique opportunity to discuss...

On 25 September 2020, UNODC's Regional Mission in Central Asia and the Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section of UNODC Headquarters, in collaboration with the National Centre for Mental Health Research of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan, organized a national webinar. The purpose of the webinar was to organize a stakeholder forum to share important international experiences on the continuity and sustainability of HIV treatment, prevention, care and support services for people who use drugs and how to implement evidence-based policies that ensure access to effective drug and HIV...