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GEZAIRY ECTOR RANEAN R
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2
The threat of spread of hepatitis B and C among and beyond injecting drug users has also been established in the Region. Hepatitis C prevalence rates nearing or exceeding 50%
among injecting drug users have been reported in all countries where surveys have been conducted. The picture becomes more alarming when we take into consideration other communicable diseases like tuberculosis, deaths due to overdose and other health and social harms that affect injecting and non-injecting drug users.
I mentioned earlier that the Ministers of Health in the Region have expressed to WHO on several occasions their concern over the situation and have requested our help to introduce harm reduction in their countries. The issue however is not that simple to address. The commitment of a ministry is often obstructed by a long tradition of nontolerance of drug use and, subsequently, of drug users. For years, drug control all over the world was based on supply and demand reduction. Reducing demand for drugs was addressed through abstinence- oriented treatment. To no avail, “abstinence only” approaches included compulsory detoxification, imprisonment, social denial and rejection. Harm reduction, which is founded on a rights-based public health approach to drug use, is a challenge to, and is challenged by, this long heritage of intolerance.
The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean established a Regional Advisory Panel on the Impact of Drugs (RAPID) in 2002. This panel discusses the public health impact of drug use from different perspectives and advises the Regional Office on appropriate responses. This resulted in 2005 in the adoption of the first resolution by the Regional Committee expressing the urgency of introducing harm reduction. The Regional Committee is the governing body of WHO in the Region and comprises the Ministers of Health of Member States. Two other Regional Committee resolutions followed in 2009 and 2010 urging WHO and Member States to implement harm reduction as a measure to fight HIV and viral hepatitis.
We recognize that this political commitment is indispensable for bringing harm reduction services to those who need it. We recognize also the pivotal role of civil society in transforming this commitment into action. For this, I am proud to say that the Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Association – MENAHRA, the local host of this conference, was established with the full support of WHO and in partnership with the International Harm Reduction Association, IHRA. MENAHRA is WHO’s arm to roll out technical support, capacity-building and delivery of harm reduction services in the Region.
3
Distinguished colleagues
WHO has high expectations of this conference. The voices of the members of the drug using community, scientists, researchers, activists and service delivery experts, when joined together, can only be a voice of collective wisdom. We are here to listen to this voice and to act accordingly.
I wish you success and a pleasant experience with our region through your interaction with the delegates, and a pleasant stay in Lebanon.
Thank you.
