UNODC Empowers South Africa's Central Drug Authority with Cutting-Edge Harm Reduction
Training!
Date: December 11-12, 2023
Location: Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
On 11 and 12 December 2023, the Health Programme at UNODC ROSAF facilitated a catalytic and groundbreaking evidence-based harm reduction training for drug use and drug use disorders, in collaboration with the HIV Section at UNODC Vienna, World Health Organization country office in South Africa and CDA-SA. This training was a significant start of CDA-SA spearheading harm reduction in collaboration with key National Government departments, Provincial Substance Abuse Forums (PSAFs) and Local Drug Action Committees (LDACs) across the 9 provinces of the country.
The CDA-SA board members were comprehensively capacitated on evidence-based harm reduction at the international level. This training was important and significant for the country’s current growing opioid problem. The training consisted of rich and robust discussions on the current opioid problem in South Africa and how science-based harm reduction services can accelerate an urgent strategic intervention response. The excitement about the training was contagious and UNODC ROSAF appreciated for arranging this catalytic capacity building training. A central theme and discussion in the training was the integration of evidence-based harm reduction services in the South African Public Health System and an acceleration of intervention planning processes at national level.
The training was facilitated in an interactive manner and consisted of theoretical content, small and big group discussions, audio-visual material and incorporated structured feedback and active participation via an online technology platform. A significant part of the training was the inclusion of people with lived experiences of opioid use and a local professional panel of opioid substitution therapy service providers. This ensured a comprehensive and well-integrated training programme. Innovative solutions for challenges experienced in the planning and implementation of evidence-based harm reduction services were crafted through strategic group activities. This innovative training was acknowledged as a significant stride forward in establishing much needed harm reduction services in South Africa. The value and investment of this training in harm reduction services in South Africa is proven in the direct words of a training delegate: “this training will bolster harm reduction services in South Africa and a continuous partnership between UNODC ROSAF, WHO country office in South Africa and CDA-SA as seen with this training, will be a force to take harm reduction services forward and upwards”.
