ICUDDR  has announced they will be hosting an implementation course entitled “Developing University-based Drug Demand Reduction Academic Programs” for our members in Africa.  The purpose of the course is to equip academic staff with relevant knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies to develop sustainable DDR academic programs that meet local needs and align with university and regulatory bodies goals and objectives.

This course is still in development, and facilitation will begin Wednesday, May 19, 2021.  Sessions are 90 minutes long and will be held every Wednesday for 27 weeks.  The...

The Demand for Alcohol in South Africa

The sale, dispensing and distribution of liquor was prohibited in the nationwide lockdown on levels 5 and 4 (DMA, 2002; Amendment Regulations 2020:22). The alcohol ban that was imposed during these levels highlighted the erratic behavior where looting of alcohol outlets in South Africa was observed (BusinessTech, April 2020). This behavior that was observed demonstrated that the demand for alcohol in South Africa is an ongoing problem (Peltzer, et al., 2011:36). The national disaster in which the fight against the novel virus COVID-19, became the...

Mental disorders have become a global public health issue exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In Senegal, the treatment and care of people suffering from mental health disorders, including substance use disorders, faces multiple obstacles and challenges which have a profound effect on families and communities.

As a result, in 2019, the Ministry of Health of Senegal put in place a network of over 30 organizations throughout the country whose objective is to assist and provide support to individuals struggling with mental health disorders including those who use drugs, who are...

Uganda Has now officially started training in harm reduction and has created Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) Clinics in one of its National referral Mental Hospital Alcohol and Drug Unit.

The training is ongoing for new and existing staff to run this new facility and MAT clients will be enrolled this coming month. 

A special thanks to all the efforts of Dr David Basangwa whose dream this is has now become a reality. 

Building on developments at the international level – including the March 2019 Ministerial Declaration on strengthening actions for the world drug problem and the recently adopted African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control – please find the‘African Civil Society Common Position on Drugs’ here.

The document seeks to incorporate the perspectives and guide the work of a wide range of NGOs from across the African continent, and help to shape and guide civil society and governmental responses over the coming years. The VNGOC is delighted to be supporting this initiative alongside our African...