Two weeks of Training of Trainers courses (ToT) "Drug Dependence Treatment and Care" for narcologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and general practitioners were held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in October-November 2010. The ToT is a part of the UNODC global initiative aimed at enhancing the capacity of service providers for provision of evidence based interventions for treatment and care of drug dependence and its health and social consequences. UNODC conducted the series of national training courses in the following areas: screening, referral, assessment and tr
eatment planning, elements of psychosocial treatment including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), addiction medications including use of long acting opioid agonists and needs of categories with special needs (treatment of women, young people and those with psychiatric and other medical co-morbidities (HIV, HCV, etc) and administrative issues on client retention and other administrative issues concerning drug dependence treatment. Total 60 specialists from different regions of Uzbekistan and Turkme nistan were trained and certified as trainers. "Discussion on prevention of burning syndrome, opportunity to reconsider the view to drug prevention and treatment problems, as well as getting information on evidence based interventions for prevention and treatment of drug dependency will be very helpful in daily work of narcologists", - said Ms. Luiza Baymirova, the represe ntative of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Trained trainers will be involved in conducting the series of snowball training throughout the country, share modern skills with colleagues and effectively use them in their treatment practices
. It is expected that within the frame of TREATNET II about 2000 narcological service providers from Central Asian countries will enhance their professional capacity for the provision of diversified and effective drug dependency treatment and rehabilitation services. UNODC project "TREATNET II: Treating drug dependence and its health consequences" has been implemented in five Central Asian countries since 2008.
