Discussions focused on scaling up opioid substitution therapy, needle and syringe programs, price of methadone, naloxone, and addressing challenges such as limited resources and systemic barriers to scaling up harm reduction. Presentations highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to drug use disorders, improving integration of services, and addressing human rights violations against people who use and inject drugs.
The session was moderated by UNODC Regional Advisor for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care, Mr. Gunasekaran Rengaswamy and the Chief of HIV/AIDS Section UNODC Vienna and Global Coordinator for HIV, Ms. Fariba Soltani welcomed the stakeholders to the meeting and rendered opening remarks. Ms. Soltani highlighted the collective strength of stakeholders that were present in the meeting and that this strength can be utilized to scale up and intensify the implementation of evidence-based harm reduction in South Africa.
Meeting participants discussed the issues posing challenges to scaling up harm reduction programming and agreed on the urgent need to address them.
Most importantly, enhancing interdepartmental collaboration among government departments, such as the Departments of Health, Social Development and Correctional Services, increasing domestic resources and forging stronger partnerships with civil society and traditional leaders, addressing challenges with law enforcement, including stigmatizing and discriminatory practices that impede implementation of needle and syringe programs and finally integrating harm reduction services into the public health system and expanding access. Additionally, increasing engagement with civil society organizations will help build support at grassroot levels and bolster overall harm reduction initiatives.
A high-level panel discussion on harm reduction programming that included government departments and stakeholders was the highlight of the meeting, delving into and dissecting key issues such as the pricing and availability of methadone, and the integration of HIV/AIDS, mental health and social services with harm reduction programming. A key discussion in the high-level panel was closer collaboration between government departments and civil society in the piloting of harm reduction programming in public health services.
The meeting, including the panel discussion, afforded stakeholders the opportunity to take detailed stock of harm reduction and provided a platform to jointly plan the way forward. The diverse group of stakeholders that are needed for critical discussions on harm reduction programme issues caused a contagious excitement that could be felt in the room. This provided an opportunity to make a comprehensive analysis of harm reduction programming, including the views and experiences of stakeholders. The meeting fast-tracked key discussions on harm reduction programming and pertinent issues at drug policy and high stakeholders’ level in the country.
One meeting participant stated: “UNODC’s planning and investment in this high-level meeting is profound and innovative technical support”.
One of the key actionable steps is that stakeholders collaborate closely in harm reduction programming, including in the area of policy and technical work that are required and piloting harm reduction programming in public health services. UNODC’s ongoing technical support will be aligned to the next steps agreed on by the delegates.