Reitox Academy: Prevention of infectious diseases among people who use drugs
For IPA4 beneficiaries ‘Prevention of infectious diseases among people who use drugs’, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 29-30 October, 2013
Objectives of the seminar
· Discuss available policies and measures to prevent and control infectious diseases and other health consequences related to injecting drug use in the Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia); explore achievements and gaps, obstacles and opportunities for scaling-up services.
· Explore availability of epidemiological data relevant for planning and scaling-up health and social responses for prevention and control of infectious diseases and other health-related consequences among people who inject drugs (PWID); identify new trends in drug use and emerging risk behaviours significant for planning the responses at national level and explore information gaps.
· Map, collect and compile data on provision and coverage of measures to control and prevent infections among PWID.
· Discuss recommended core values, principles and key measures for prevention and service provision and present the EMCDDA and ECDC guidance ‘Prevention and control of infectious diseases among people who inject drugs’.
· Exchange experiences on scaling-up comprehensive response to prevent and control infectious diseases and other health-related consequences of injecting drug use.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence
Target audience
The seminar targets experts involved in planning and scaling-up policy responses in the field of prevention and control of infectious diseases for people who inject drugs. It is expected that participants are technical experts representing Ministries of Health or Ministries of Social Affairs, its subordinate structures (such as public health or disease surveillance institutions), or decision makers with a public health background from non-governmental organisations, which are involved in provision of a significant part of health and social services (needle and syringe exchange, opioid substitution treatment, counselling, testing etc.) for PWID at the national level.
The working language of the seminar is English. No translation will be provided.