UNODC Regional Office for South Asia in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs has conducted the second National Training Programme to address HIV prevention amongst incarcerated substance users from 21 - 24 January 2008 in Pokhara, Nepal. Total 22 number of participants comprising the senior/middle level officials drawn from Ministry of Home Affairs, Prisons, Police, Drug Control Programme, local stakeholders and Non-governmental organisations participated in the National Training Programme. Two senior officials from Government of Bhutan also attended the training programme. The inauguration session was attended by the Chief Justice, Joint Secretary (MOHA), Regional Administrator, Chief District Officer, Media Network amongst others.
Mr. Devendra Raj Upadhaya, Chief Judge, Pokhara delivering Inaugural speech
It is notable that the Ministry was able to gather different local resources from Pokhara including senior government officials dealing with prison, drug and HIV prevention, NGOs and PLHAs for taking the special sessions during the training.
The training programme ended with the field visit to Pokhara Prison as well as a harm reduction programme supported by UNODC.
The participants expressed their interest to take this training programme to different prisons with the help of inputs received in the National Training Programme. UNODC is currently rolling out prison interventions in four new prison sites namely, Jhapa, Bhairawaha, Nepalgunj and Dhangadi districts.
Mr. Devendra Raj Upadhaya, Chief Judge, Pokhara delivering Inaugural speech