Ecowas to Host First Drug Demand Reduction Meeting in Accra

14 May 2011
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Economic Community of West African States (Abuja)
press release

Abuja-Nigeria — Regional experts and representatives of civil society in West Africa will meet in Accra from 17th to 19th May 2011 to brain storm on ways to deal with the drug demand issues in the region.

Specifically, the meeting will discuss various findings and approaches for data collection and analysis and agree on a common drug abuse assessment protocol and plans for starting drug abuse assessment surveys in Member States. Participants will also share experiences and best practices among the various stakeholders in the region and agree on effective intervention strategies and best practices, including those for the management of all types of drugs and special population groups Presentations at the meeting will focus on an overview of the drug abuse situation and drug demand reduction activities in the region as well as country by country drug demand reduction activities. Participants will also consider the draft Protocols and Minimum Standards on Drug Demand Reduction, Treatment and Rehabilitation. Recommendations from the three-day meeting will inform the formulation of policies and programmes specifically directed at addressing the drug demand reduction problem in ECOWAS Member States as well as enrich the drug demand reduction components of the ECOWAS regional action plan. It will also inspire regional instruments for the assessing and preventing of drug abuse as well as systems for management, rehabilitation and social integration of victims of drug abuse.

Participants will agree on mechanisms for harmonizing the policies, programmes and strategies of ECOWAS Member States in the areas of drug supply and drug demand reduction efforts in order to ensure they are consistent with ECOWAS' approach for promoting a balanced strategy to the drug problem. Those expected at the meeting include representatives of the West African Health Organization (WAHO), the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU), the European Union, World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Programme on HIV-AIDS (UNAIDS).

Read the original article on Ecowas.

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