Drug use disorders involve a range of multifactorial conditions that often follow the course of a chronic illness with relapses and remissions. Given the individual and socioeconomic burden imposed by these disorders, effective treatment and rehabilitation of patients are of significant public health importance.
According to the 2022 World Drug Report (WDR), approximately 284 million people used drugs in the past year, and about 38.6 million suffer from substance use disorders (SUDs). However, only one in eight individuals with problematic drug use has access to addiction treatment services. This situation highlights the gap in receiving quality and timely care in many cases.
Treatment for substance use disorders involves a series of structured interventions based on scientific evidence, aimed at stopping or reducing drug use, improving the health, well-being, and social functioning of those affected, and preventing future harm by decreasing the risk of complications or relapses.
Treatment can occur in community-based counseling services, general health care settings, or specialized outpatient environments, as well as in short-term or long-term hospitalization settings and residential treatment centers. The best outcomes are achieved with a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach, which includes pharmacological and psychosocial interventions to address the various needs of the patient.
Regarding the improvement of care quality, UNODC has developed the Treatnet Quality Standards tool to support Member States in implementing quality care systems for their treatment services. Recently, technical assistance has been provided in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Panama to strengthen care quality in treatment centers.
In terms of training, the TREATNET training package has been highly useful for the region as it enables the updating of knowledge for personnel involved in treating substance use disorders.
More recently, UNODC has developed the TREATNET Family program to support Member States in their efforts to provide treatment and care for drug use disorders in adolescent populations.
