Harm Reduction Drug Project Uzbekistan - Contact Netz

8.2 Need to develop treatment opportunities for drug addicts
It is very important that drug addicts who want to kick their habit have access to
treatment, even in Central Asia. Our activities in Samarkand and Tashkent bring
drug addicts into contact with the healthcare system through syringe exchange.
Many drug addicts want treatment. At present however, the available treatment is
very high-threshold, as well as expensive. In addition to cessation of drug use and
rehabilitation, there is the possibility of substitution, ie, transferring dependency
from heroin to methadone. If Contact Centres or Trust Points could supply
methadone they would become far more attractive. There are currently two pilot
projects in Kyrgyzstan, at Bishkek and Osh, each with 100 people involved in
methadone programmes. The methadone prescription project In Uzbekistan has
been on hold for two years.
9. First Harm Reduction conference in Central Asia
9.1 Harm Reduction Network for NGOs in Central Asia
Contact Net organised the first harm reduction conference in Tashkent on 28/29
October 2004 7 . It was attended by 70 representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan
and Tajikistan, including people from ministries and international organisations, as
well as local NGO leaders and field workers. The results of this conference were
encouraging, particularly with regard to future prospects and the need for changes
in the area of harm reduction outlined above. Everyone at the conference agreed
with Jakob Huber’s analysis -- that the efficiency of HIV prevention must be
massively increased through the distribution of syringes and condoms. The
different presentations -- Switzerland’s four-pillar model, our project with its the
“snowball” system, places for injecting and smoking, methadone substitution, the
heroin programme, mobile centres for syringes , etc. – were very well received by
the NGO representatives.
Another great success was the nomination at the end of the conference of six fully
committed NGO leaders. This group, two each from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan, have a year in which to build up the Harm Reduction Network for NGOs
in Central Asia. They will define the mission of this Network, its objectives and
activities in line with what was discussed at the conference. If all goes well, it will be
possible to hold the Second Central Asian Harm Reduction Conference in Bishkek
in the autumn of 2005.
All this has given our activities in Uzbekistan a Central Asian dimension. The Swiss
drug policy and our model project in Uzbekistan were introduced at the conference
and were very well received. With Central Asia’s First Harm Reduction Conference
we have made history. If this results in the creation of a workable network, it will
have a positive impact throughout the region.
The network idea has been designed for NGOs. Co-operation with government
structures and providing them with information is therefore a high priority. Indeed it
was clear to everyone present that the Central Asian governments want to know
exactly what the NGOs are up to.
The conference also provided the first opportunity to exchange project experiences
and Best Practices. The informal setting enabled many fruitful discussions. Another
unique aspect of the conference was the intermingling and interaction of all
7
The report and other documentation on this first Harm Reduction conference can be accessed at
the following internet address www.contactnetz.ch.
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Importance of
access to
treatment
First Harm
Reduction
conference in
Central Asia
Selection of 6
NGO
representatives
to build up a
harm reduction
network in
Central Asia
The Central
Asian
dimension
Exchanging
experiences on
an informal
basis