Washington, Feb 24: The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Organisation of American States (OAS) have renewed a memorandum of understanding under which they will work together—employing a public health perspective—to improve
countries’ capacities to respond to the needs of people affected by the
drug problem.
An estimated 1 in 20 people ages 15 to 64--some 250 million people--consumed at least one drug (opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine-type stimulants or psychoactive substances not
prescribed by a physician) in 2014, according to the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime’s World Drug Report 2016.
The use of psychoactive substances has been recognised as an important public health problem in the Americas, contributing significantly to the burden of premature deaths and disability, a PAHO release here said.
The PAHO-OAS agreement lays out collaboration on policies and programs as part of a comprehensive approach to drug problems, including promotion of structured information systems, facilitation of access to integrated healthcare services, training of human resources, promotion of research, and diffusion of scientific knowledge on the
subject.
The use of psychoactive substances has been recognised as an important public health problem in the Americas, contributing significantly to the burden of premature deaths and disability, a PAHO release here said.
The PAHO-OAS agreement lays out collaboration on policies and programs as part of a comprehensive approach to drug problems, including promotion of structured information systems, facilitation of access to integrated healthcare services, training of human resources, promotion of research, and diffusion of scientific knowledge on the
subject.
Under the agreement, PAHO and the OAS will also support
countries in the Americas in complying with the recommendations of the
United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug
Problem (UNGASS 2016), which highlight the need for prevention and
treatment programs, strengthening human resources, and ensuring respect
for rights and access to controlled medications. Those recommendations were ratified by the 70th World Health Assembly in 2017 and are aligned with PAHO’s Regional Strategy and Action Plan on Psychoactive Substance Use and Public Health, which
identifies a public health response to the drug problem as a priority in
national health plans.
Addressing the problematic use of psychoactive substances requires that countries’ public health systems be prepared to take action on social determinants, promote healthy lifestyles, prevent or delay the onset of drug use, mitigate the adverse effects of consumption and treat, rehabilitate and fully reintegrate problematic users using effective interventions within a framework that protects their fundamental rights. UNI
Addressing the problematic use of psychoactive substances requires that countries’ public health systems be prepared to take action on social determinants, promote healthy lifestyles, prevent or delay the onset of drug use, mitigate the adverse effects of consumption and treat, rehabilitate and fully reintegrate problematic users using effective interventions within a framework that protects their fundamental rights. UNI
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