24 March 2024, Vienna (Austria) – The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Union (EU), and the Government of Japan convened a high-level side event titled “Deepening crisis: Mental health and substance use disorders paralyzing Afghan society” at the sidelines of the 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna.
The event brought together esteemed panelists, policymakers, and stakeholders to address the pressing challenges with mental health and substance use issues faced by millions of Afghans. Hosted in a hybrid format, 140 attendees participated both in-person at the Vienna International Centre and virtually via Zoom.
Panel members shared insights and expertise, emphasizing the critical need for policy deliberations, enhanced responses, and operational strategies to address the gaps in access to and provision of mental health and substance use disorder treatment and care services in Afghanistan. The discussion highlighted the urgent necessity for a concerted action to tackle stigma and discrimination around people with drug use disorders and mental health problems, limited availability of quality and comprehensive prevention and treatment services, insufficient specialized and competent health staff as well as considerable funding gaps.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, highlighted, “An alarming 50% of Afghanistan's population grapples with psychological distress, rendering them vulnerable to mental health and substance use disorders. WHO has been partnering with the European Union and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime since 2023 to provide services to people with mental health and substance use disorders through 20 facilities and 23 outreach teams across Afghanistan. Since the start, this joint project has spearheaded initiatives to deliver services at every level from the community to specialized facilities.”
Mr. Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Director, Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs at UNODC, emphasized that “Supporting poppy farmers with alternative livelihood options, alongside robust, evidence-based public health measures for treating people with drug use disorders, is imperative to achieve sustainable solutions for Afghanistan.”
At global level, Peteris Ustubs, Director at the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships highlighted the EU’s ongoing efforts in “strengthening the policies and measures on mental health as well as drug demand reduction through their integration in the national social or health systems“. Whilst Ms Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargée d’Affaires a.i. to Afghanistan affirmed that ‘prioritizing investment in mental health and drug use disorders globally and in Afghanistan is a joint responsibility requiring a collaborative effort to achieve greater efficiency and maximise impact on the health and well-being of millions of affected people and their families and communities". She further stressed that “our interventions need to be evidence based and grounded in good practices and lessons learned. Here, I stress the critical role that civil society and local communities play to ensure that solutions are not only tailored to the specific contexts and needs and culturally appropriate but are also in the long run more sustainable.”
“Ensuring the health and happiness of individuals amidst drug and mental health-related challenges in Afghanistan requires collective action and partnership,” Mr Nobuyuki Kikuchi, Minister Counselor of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna emphasized. “Swift and effective measures are imperative. By leveraging comparative advantages and fostering synergies, we can strengthen communities where individuals struggling with drug use disorder and mental health find support and hope. Let us unite in our commitment to combat this issue, prioritizing mental health and well-being for all.”
Dr. Vail Alraas, MHPSS Coordinator for International Medical Corps in Afghanistan, said, “It is essential to prioritize the allocation of sustainable funds that tackle substance use and mental health programs, taking into consideration the importance of having comprehensive mental health and psychosocial support rehabilitation programs in place to ensure overall positive impact.”
The event concluded with a call to action, urging stakeholders to collaborate and partner in implementing evidence-based solutions and advocating for transformative changes to support mental health and substance use disorder treatment and care services in Afghanistan.
Follow @WHOAfghanistan, @UNODC_COAFG, @UNODC_PTRS, @EUinAfghanistan, and @JapanGov on Facebook and Twitter for updates and further discussions.Joy Rivaca Caminade at caminadej@who.int
Head of Communications
WHO Afghanistan
Nourhan El-Nagdy at elnagdyn@who.int
Donor Communication Officer
WHO Afghanistan
Tim Gillmair at Delegation-Afghanistan-Press@eeas.europa.eu
Press and Information Officer
EU Delegation to Afghanistan
UNODC Prevention, Treatment and rehabilitation Section,
Drugs, Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch (DLSSB) at unodc-ptrs@un.org
UNODC press team at unodc-press@un.org