UNODC supports Uzbekistan in ensuring quality medical services for patients with drug dependence

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and World Health Organization (WHO) jointly developed the International Standards of Treatment of drug use disorders, and consequently, the resolution 59/4 by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs was approved which called the Member States for the development and dissemination of International Standards for Treatment of drug use disorders and urged UNODC to support a systematic process of national adaptation and the adoption of national QA standards for the accreditation of services in accordance with the national legislation.As a result of two years of collaborative work, negotiations, expert support and a series of workshops organized as part of technical assistance provided by UNODC, National Quality Standards for medical services provided to the patients with drug dependence in Uzbekistan were developed earlier this year. In April 2020, the standards were approved by the respective body and are expected to be implemented all across the country.

Successful implementation of the National Quality Standards will ensure to provide quality medical care by monitoring, evaluating and improving the medical services delivered to people with drug use disorders.

In October during the latest Online Regional Refresher Training for Assessors involved in the development of National Standards on UNODC-WHO Quality Assurance Mechanisms/Tools for Drug Dependency Treatment, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan requested the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia to make an additional explanatory presentation for chief medical officers and head doctors from drug treatment facilities in Tashkent, Andijan, Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Namangan, Samarkand, Syrdarya, Surkhandarya, Ferghana, Khorezm, Kokand regions to shape a better understanding of how the National Standards would work in practice.

Based on this request, UNODC proactively organized a webinar for 36 head doctors and chief medical officers of drug dependence treatment facilities of Uzbekistan, including the Chief Narcologist of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The webinar is expected to help the drug treatment facility managers understand how they could better organize their work on quality assurance on the ground.

This session was organized within the framework of UNODC global project GLOJ71 “Treating drug dependence and its health consequences: Treatnet II” in collaboration with Sub-programme 3: Drug prevention, treatment and reintegration and HIV prevention of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia for 2015-2020 and with support from Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section of UNODC HQ.

 

Additional information:

Shakhnoza Zafari,

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (Tashkent)

Mobile: +998935547895

E-mail: shakhnoza.zafari[at]un.org