Striving for equity

INTERNATIONAL DOCTORS FOR HEALTHIER DRUG POLICIES

Global Addiction Conference Venice October 2nd – 4th 2016

“Doctors striving for equity for People who inject drugs

Dr Chris Ford

IDHDP

Physicians globally unite for health based drug policy

Phase 1

80% of the world’s population is denied access to morphine – while 20% consume almost all of it.

It is hard to think of a greater injustice that has largely arisen from the misunderstanding and fear of international drug policy

This is why IDHDP launched its campaign “Striving for equity in the treatment of pain.”

Physicians internationally united for health based drug policy


Striving for equity in the treatment of drug dependency


Alexey Kurmanayevskiy 34 years

“ I started thinking about substitution therapy in the framework of human rights because it is about the basic right to life [and] access to healthcare in a safe environment. When I went to the court to request access to OST – and when I got all my requests rejected – I realised an attempt to change the rules in Russia is not only about the access, it’s about Russia’s general approach to dealing with illicit drugs, as well as HIV prevention. I saw how human rights are diminished because of the desire to achieve the so-called drug-free world, and the ideology of drug control which obviously would never be achievedMany people in Russian society do not know anything about drug dependence, but the lack of social protection in Russia is the main reason why many turn to drug use, to get some relief. I believe another reason is the repressive drug policy that makes people who experiment with drug use permanently stuck. When the person is arrested or hooked up by the state in other ways, they are doomed to remain in this sphere because there is no mechanism to help. There is only a mechanism to oppress. And that’s the main reason why there’s an ever-growing number of drug users.”

Striving for equity in the treatment of drug dependendency

evidence based treatment• To improve access to Agonist Opioid Therapy (OST)• Methadone and buprenorphine• On WHO essential medicines list • 156 countries (out of nearly 200) report injecting

drug use BUT only 82 offer them to people with opioid problem This is why IDHDP launched phase 2 of campaign

“Striving for equity in the treatment of drug dependency”

Striving for equity in access to evidence based treatment

•HCV•HIV•Naloxone

Physicians internationally for health based drug policy


IDHDP is an international network of medical doctors seeking to change ill-conceived drug

policies that currently increase disease, reduce access to essential medicines, prevent people

receiving treatment and infringe on human rights



By joining IDHDP you will be adding your voice to the campaign

Join at www.idhdp.com

Phase 2 will be launched in November

Get involved

Twitter @idhdp



http://www.idhdp.com/

Health & Medicine

Striving for equity