On 2 – 3 March 2023, UNODC facilitated a national training focused on quality assurance for drug use disorder treatment systems in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
This event brought together 29 professionals from various entities, including the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Tajikistan (MHSPP), regional and republican clinical drug addiction centers, the National Drug Addiction Monitoring and Prevention Center, and UNODC representatives.
The training aimed to enhance the capacity of drug addiction specialists in developing national quality assurance system standards in alignment with the UNODC-WHO International Standards for Treatment of Drug Use Disorders while also discussing strategies for their implementation.
Mirzoali Rajabzoda, Head of the Department for the Organization of Medical Services and New Technologies at MHSPP, emphasized Tajikistan's comprehensive approach to combating drug trafficking and addressing the factors contributing to the rise in drug abuse. "The UNODC trainings significantly bolster our nation's efforts in these areas," he stated. "Today’s training will empower key stakeholders in the drug treatment system to enhance the effectiveness of drug abuse treatment services, aligning them with international standards and best practices in evidence-based medicine."
Mustafa Erten, Head of the UNODC Programme Office in Tajikistan, highlighted the unique opportunity provided during the training to discuss critical issues surrounding the development and institutionalization of a quality assurance mechanism for drug treatment services. "Implementing this mechanism will enhance the quality of drug dependence treatment in Tajikistan," he remarked during his opening address.
The training was delivered by Maria J. Zarza Gonzalez, an international trainer from Spain, alongside Naimdzhon Malikov, a narcologist from the Republican Clinical Narcology Center named after Professor M. Ghulomov under MHSPP.
After the training, participants received certificates and expressed the high relevance of the content to their daily work. “Through this training, specialists gained valuable insights, engaging in collaborative discussions to assess the existing drug use disorder treatment framework at regional and national levels,” noted Naimdzhon Malikov. “Such training opportunities are crucial for us as they aim to enhance the quality of medical care, guide treatment planning, and establish a foundation for ongoing quality monitoring and evaluation of available treatment services.”
The training was conducted within the UNODC global project GLOJ71 “Treating drug dependence and its health consequences: Treatnet II”, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), in collaboration with Sub-programme 3 “Addressing drug use, increasing treatment of drug use disorders and preventing HIV/AIDS” of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2022-2025 and the UNODC Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section.
For further information, please contact:
Nurangez Abdulhamidova
Communication and External Relations Officer
UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia
Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org
