Supporting Government of Pakistan’s in its efforts to ensure standardized, adequate, and evidence-based drug dependence treatment and care

UNODC in collaboration with the Ministry of Narcotics Control (MoNC) and the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination (MoNHSR&C) and with the generous support from US/INL, is developing National Standards and Protocols for the treatment of drug use disorders in Pakistan.

This work is linked with UNODC’s efforts in supporting countries on quality assurance for treatment of drug use disorders in line with the International Standards for the Treatment of drug Use Disorders (2020).

According to UNODC’s National Drug Use Survey Pakistan 2013, 4.25 million people with drug use disorders require scientific and structured drug treatment interventions.

To ensure implementation of adequate and evidence-based drug treatment services, UNODC in collaboration with the Ministry of Narcotics Control (MoNC) and the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination (MoNHSR&C), is supporting the development of National Standards and Protocols for drug dependence treatment and care.

Draft National Standards and Protocols were developed by international consultants and are now being reviewed with national experts.  As part of this consultative process, the two consultants travelled to Pakistan to meet with relevant stakeholders.

UNODC COPAK together with UNODC PTRS organized field visits to drug treatment facilities in Karachi and Islamabad on 30 November and 05 December 2022 respectively, followed by two consultative meetings.

The first consultative meeting held on 1 & 2 December 2022 in Karachi for treatment professionals from two provinces of Sindh and Baluchistan with 30 participants (23 males and 7 female) drug professionals including psychiatrist, psychologist, health care commission representatives and drug treatment staff from the civil society organizations.

The second was conducted on 6 & 7 December 2022 in Islamabad for treatment professionals from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces and Federal Capital territory. This second consultative meeting in Islamabad is attended by 26 (13 male and 13 female) professionals including psychiatrist, psychologist, health care authority and commissions representatives and private drug treatment staff in KPK, Punjab and Federal Capital Territory.