ADUG Afghan Drug User Group

Supported By Médecins du Monde, MENHARA, and ITPC

Summary• Afghan context

– Production of Opium– Domestic drug use – Impacts (HIV/HCV)– Abuses, harassement and stigmatization– Limited access to treatment

• Comunity development as an effective Harm Reduction strategy– ADUG statement– ADUG activities

In 2009, 90% of the world’s opium production

In 2011 the opium production increased 61% compared to 2010 (UNODC, 2011 afghan opium survey)

Domestic drug use

– Estimated 1 million drug users

– Exponential heroin use

– Exponential Injectors

Afghanistan has a concentrated HIV/AIDS and HCV epidemic among people who inject heroin

Abuses and Harassement

Here is the link of reportage made by CBS during 2011, giving a good overview of the situation of PuD in Kabul:http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57379807/misery-among-heroin-addicts-in-afghanistan/

9th of November 2011.A police officer shot one PuD in the leg.

1st of April 2012. Some neighbors attack a group of PuD in Kabul.Outreach workers are witnessing the scene.

Police and afghan society harass and beat everyday people who use drugs

Stigmatization and Discrimination of people who use drugs

• People who use drugs have no access to health care.They are rejected from hospitals because:

– Hospital staff-members are afraid of HIV, HVC or HVB

– PuD have no family or no relatives to accompany them

– Hospitals do not know how to deal with craving of active drug users

« where drug users live, there is misery»

The authorities and communities stigmatize people who use drugs

• OST

The Methadone program of Médecins du Monde, due to political blockage is

limited to 70 patients Current OST coverage rate in Afghanistan: 0.058%

ADUG Activities

• Advocacy at International Level through IAC and Harm reduction Conferences to raise the issue of inhuman situation for Afghan drug users and promote effective treatment

– Vienna, July 2010- International AIDS conference

– Beirut, April 2011- Harm Reduction conference

– The Maldives, September 2011- regional workshop on Opioid Substitution Therapy

– Geneva, December 2011- UNAIDS PCB (virtual participation)

– Washington, July 2012-International AIDS conference

Vienna International HIV/AIDS Conference in

2010

UNAIDS PCB Geneva, December 2011

Virtual participation through Video and Skype conference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOBW0PZZOyI

ADUGCommunity Development as an effective

Harm Reduction strategy

ADUG objectives

• The Afghan Drug User Group (ADUG) started its journey in August 2010

“ We are a movement of Afghan people who use drugs (current and former) that joined forces to represent user’s interests, improve our condition and promote participation of people who use drugs in decision making, policy and planning.”

• The ADUG demand that the human rights of people who use drugs are respected and promoted

“ We urge the Afghan Government to scale up of the harm reduction response in order to protect our individual and the general public health. ADUG is a recognized member of the International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD).”

ADUG Activities

• Advocacy at national level

- ADUG has organized for the World Aids Day in december 2010 a public demonstration to raise the human right abuses among people who use drugs

- ADUG has participated to the official celebration of the World Aids Day in December 2011 to promote effective treatment to all the ones who are in needs

- ADUG publishes human rights violation reports

ADUG organizing the first

Afghan demonstration on World AIDS Day 2010

Participation to the World Aids Day in December 2011

HE the Minister of Health received from the hands of the Afghan Drug User Group a list of several hundreds of names and thumbprints of people who use drugs requesting methadone inclusion