Stigma, discrimination barriers to drug abuse treatment – WHO

MANILA, Philippines – Stigma and discrimination are major barriers to the treatment of drug dependence, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Until now, drug dependence has not been recognized as a health problem in many countries and stigma and discrimination associated with drug dependence have been major barriers to appropriate treatment,” it said in a statement published June 26 in commemoration of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Citing United Nations estimates, the WHO said that there are about 230 million adults worldwide aged 15-64, or 5 percent of the adult population, used an illicit drug once in 2010. These include 27 million people with severe drug problems.

It added that its Global Health Observatory Database-Resources for the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders now provides data for each country “as funding, staff and services” to complement already available information on drug use disorders. The system covers 88 percent of the world’s population and provides details on the resources allocated to the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug-related problems in 147 countries.

“Drug dependence is a disorder that can be treated effectively with low-cost medicines and standardized psychological therapies. In particular, the treatment of heroin dependence has been very successful in reducing HIV infection due to unsafe injection, crime and the risk of death through overdose,” the WHO said.

The organization added that it is working closely with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) since 2009 “to increase the access to treatment for people with drug use disorders.”

“Drug dependence is a disorder that can be treated effectively but, unfortunately, the large majority of persons who need it do not have access to treatment,” said Dr. Shek Shekhar Saxena, Director of the Department for Mental Health and Substance Abuse. “The data presented in the new system illustrate the huge gaps that still exist in the area of drug dependence treatment. But more and more countries realize the benefits of treatment for drug and alcohol dependence, not only for the individuals themselves, but also for the society and the economy.”

The WHO noted that while recognition of drug abuse as a public health issue has increased in recent years, only 82 countries offer specific health services for the treatment of drug use disorders.

“The availability of drug dependence treatment lags well behind treatment and care offered for other diseases according to our data,” explains Dr. Vladimir Poznyak, WHO coordinator of the Management of Substance Use team. “For example, only 45 percent of the assessed countries are able to provide essential medicines to treat the dependence on heroin and other opiates and in almost half of the countries where treatment is available not more than one in 5 persons with drug use disorders benefits from the services. A quarter of the countries which identify opiates as the main drug problem do not offer the range of medications recommended by WHO.” –Ruth Sindico (philstar.com)