Training Workshop on Establishing and Delivering evidence-based, high-quality Opioid Agonist Therapy Services in the Republic of South Africa

25^th and 26^th of November 2024 Cape Town, South Africa. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSAF), in partnership with the UNODC HIV/AIDS Section in Vienna, hosted a pioneering training workshop aimed at healthcare professionals in South Africa. This event, the first of its kind, focused on the establishment and delivery of high-quality, evidence-based Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT) services and was designed for senior health policy managers and workers across the country.

Led by Monica Ciupagea, Adviser on Drugs and HIV, Gunasekaran Rengaswamy, Regional Adviser on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care, and UNODC consultant Andrew Schiebe, the workshop brought together 30 participants from the Department of Health, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders.

In South Africa, harm reduction services such as OAT, Needle and Syringe Programmes (NSP), and overdose prevention medications like Naloxone and Naltrexone remain underdeveloped in public healthcare settings. In response, UNODC has been working closely with the National Department of Health, the National Department of Social Development, civil society, and other partners to expand harm reduction programs. Prior initiatives included interdepartmental meetings and a high-level gathering to discuss harm reduction strategies.

This training workshop was specifically tailored to accelerate the rollout of OAT services, aligning with the National Drug Master Plan (2019-2024) and the Health Sector Drug Master Plan (2019-2025). It provided a platform for participants to assess current challenges, review progress, and discuss strategies for overcoming barriers to the wider implementation of OAT in public health services.

UNODC, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) South Africa and the South Africa National AIDS Council (SANAC), underscored the urgent need to scale up OAT access to safeguard the health of people who use or inject drugs, especially those in public healthcare settings. The training covered OAT policy, implementation tools, and best practices based on international guidelines.

The workshop also facilitated open discussions on the current state of OAT implementation, which is largely driven by civil society organizations. Participants identified key challenges and worked together to develop solutions to address South Africa’s growing issue of injecting drug use. Updates were provided by the National Department of Health and SANAC on the OAT pilot initiative and the National Strategic Plan for HIV/TB and Sexually Transmitted Infections (2023-2028).

This training marked a critical step in strengthening OAT policies and services in South Africa. One delegate remarked, “This transformative training provides us with the opportunity to evaluate progress in implementing OAT and to ensure the availability of high-quality services that meet international standards. This will have a profound impact.”

UNODC will continue to offer technical support to the National and Provincial Departments of Health, assisting in the development of effective policy and service solutions to expedite OAT implementation. Central to these efforts is the commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of people who use and inject drugs in South Africa.

United Nations

UNODC Regional Office for Southern Africa

Training Workshop on Establishing and Delivering evidence-based, high-quality Opioid Agonist Therapy Services in the Republic of South Africa